The Darkness
by wicked-angel-413
Summary: WIP After most of the events of Anne, Buffy tries to return to Sunnydale, but ends up dead. But how dead is she exactly? Two new slayers, a new watcher, and returned sould vamp to deal with in Sunnyhell while Buffy adjusts to life as a vampire in LA Spuff
1. False Return

A/N: Hey guys, this is my 2nd Buffy fic. My first is also still a WIP. I would really appreciate any feedback from you guys. Thanks a lot. Hope you like it.

Buffy sighed. She put her bag down while she waited for her bus. Lily was Anne now, and Buffy going back to Sunnydale. As her bus pulled up, she grabbed her bag and got on. 

*****

It was bright. Buffy didn't like it. Sure the sun was almost down, so it getting darker, but it wasn't dark enough. She had gotten used to the night. Vamp hours. Working the night shift more often that not took its toll on a girl. Sure, it had been night time when the Master had killed her a bit over a year ago, but she had gotten over that. The last time though… The last apocalypse… When she had been forced to kill… She shuddered. It had been daytime then. Buffy hated the sun.

Buffy readjusted the duffel bag on her shoulder as she walked to her front door. She stopped suddenly as her courage left her. She raised her hand and held it in front of the door. 

_'Knock,' _she thought to herself._ 'Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.'_

So she did, but only once. Then she turned and ran. Buffy high-tailed it down the front walk and down the street. She didn't stop until she was back at the bus station, standing in line to buy a ticket back to Los Angeles. The only thing she was unaware of was that something had fallen out of her bag before she ran off…

*****

"Buffy?" Joyce asked, opening the front door. It had become instinct to hope Buffy would come home, especially now that the summer had passed. Joyce looked out, but she didn't see anything. Wait... She leaned down and picked up the cross necklace that she had noticed. 

'Didn't Buffy have one just like this?' she thought. 'I'll ask Willow or Mr. Giles tomorrow.' Joyce tucked the necklace into her pocket and went back inside.

*****

About a week later found Giles ringing Joyce's doorbell, red-eyed and fidgeting nervously. 

"Buffy?" Joyce asked as she opened the door, the hope in her eyes dying when she saw Giles standing there. His eyes were red and puffy, looking as though he had been crying recently. "Oh, hello Mr. Giles. I was hoping you would be... Please, come in." She moved aside as she said the last few words. 

Giles nodded, stepping inside. "I understand," he said as they moved into the living room. They sat on the couch as Joyce pulled something out of her pocket. 

"I've been meaning to ask you, Mr. Giles, wasn't this Buffy's?" she asked as she handed him the necklace.

"Yes, actually, it is," he stared at it with a look in his eyes that she couldn't quite place.

"Oh, thank God," Joyce looked so relieved, that Giles hated himself for what he had to tell her. "I think she was here," Joyce, continued, oblivious to Giles sudden discomfort. "I found this on the front porch last week after hearing a knock on the door."

Giles stared at Joyce, shocked. It was possible that Buffy could have come back, but it just made what he had to tell Joyce even harder.

"Ah, Ms. Summers, I actually came here to tell you a few things." Giles had Joyce's attention now. "The new slayer, Kendra's replacement, has arrived. Her name is Faith. Faith's first watcher was killed and her new one will be arriving in a few days." Giles stopped, letting Joyce absorb this information before he continued. "Another girl, Karen, arrived with her. She is also a new slayer, and I am to be her watcher."

Joyce looked confused. "I don't understand. I thought there was only a new slayer when one died, and if Faith is Kendra's replacement, then who is Karen here to take the... place... of..." Joyce trailed off, realizing what Giles was implying. "No!" she shouted as she stood up. "Buffy is alive! My baby is still alive and she's going to come back home!"

"Ms. Summers, I know this is hard to accept-" Joyce cut him off.

"Hard to accept?! Mr. Giles, you just came into my home and told me that my daughter, my only child, is… is… Oh God... My baby..." 

She would have fallen to the floor then had Giles not caught her. He sat down on the couch with her, comforting her as he cried with her. And so they sat, crying over the loss of a daughter.

*****

Across town, in a basement, Xander and his girlfriend Cordelia sat on his bed, both crying. Cordelia was comforting Xander over the loss of one of his best friends. 

"How could she have died? What was it? Where *was* she?!" he wailed.

Cordelia just sat, knowing it was best to just remain quiet and offer Xander her silent support. Cordelia remembered when they had all found out Buffy was dead just a few hours ago…

_Two girls walked into the library together. Both brunettes, but one was dressed completely in black: black shirt that showed quite a bit of cleavage, black leather plants, and black boots. And she walked very confidently, as though she held the world in her hand. Her hair was a darker brown and her make-up was done all in black. The other girl had a much lighter shade of brown hair. She had hardly any make-up on and was wearing a tan shirt with blue jeans. _

_"What's hangin'?" the darker brunette asked as she hopped up on the counter, winking lewdly at Xander._

_The other girl looked at the one sitting on the counter with a bit of distaste on her face. _

_"Don't mind her, I've had to deal with her on the plane. We're looking for a Mr. Rupert Giles. Are any of you him?" the other girl asked._

_Giles stepped stood from his seat at the table. "That would be me. What did you need?" he asked warily._

_"Well, might want to have them leave," The girl on the counter gestured to the rest of the group._

_"No, they stay," Giles said._

_"Suit yourself," the girl shrugged. "We're your new slayers," the first girl stated. "Actually, I wouldn't be here except for the fact that my first watcher got killed. The council said they were sending a replacement here soon. Until then, I'm all yours Rupes."_

_The group, minus the two girls, looked shocked. _

_"New… New slayers?" Giles asked._

_"Yes. Faith is Kendra's replacement, and I'm Karen, Elizabeth's replacement." The other girl said._

_"Elizabeth? As in, Buffy? Buffy Summers, Elizabeth?" Willow stood up from her seat, on the verge of panic._

_"Uh, yeah. I think that's what they said. Why?" Karen asked._

_Willow, Xander, Giles, Cordelia, and Oz just stared._

_"Did I say something wrong?" Karen asked._

_"You… You're… You're… Buffy's replacement?" Xander looked at her._

_"Uh, yeah. I guess so." A confused look crossed her face. "Did you guys know her?"_

_"She was my slayer… And their friend…" Giles said._

_"A slayer with friends? Yeah right," scoffed Faith. Karen just had a horrified look on her face._

_"It's true," Oz said, actually looking a bit sad._

_The group sat in shock. Then Giles stood._

_"Someone needs to… I mean, Mrs. Summers… She needs to know…" With that he rushed out of the library. The others looked around at each other, silently agreeing to leave as well. _

_Xander and Cordelia stood, holding hands and followed Giles out the door. _

_Willow and Oz stood and went to follow the others, arms around each other as Willow began to cry. _

_"Come back tomorrow," Oz said to Karen and Faith as he passed. "Do you have somewhere to stay?" _

_They nodded, and watched the others leave. Then turned to look at one another, and as Faith slid off the counter, they left as well. _

_*****_

Buffy stood in front of the bus station with her bag over her shoulder. She had just gotten back To LA and needed a place to stay. She could probably go to Lily and stay with her for a night or two, but she might be working. The diner was between where Buffy was and her old apartment anyway, so she decided to stop on the way and check. Maybe she could get a job… And not have Lily lose hers of course.

As Buffy started to walk into the night, she was unaware of the figure watching her and that now began to follow her. 


	2. Waking Up

A/N: And here's the second chapter! Hopefully, this chapter's going to be a bit more of Buffy and less Sunnydale. Mostly concentrating on what happened in LA, but there's still some bits about Sunnydale. Hoping to let you guys know what's going on with Buffy from her perspective though. Because after all, what's a Buffy fic without Buffy?

It had been almost two weeks since the arrival of the two slayers, and the gang had taken the time to adjust to the news of Buffy's death as well as they could. Now Giles stood in his office with the British man who had just come into the library asking to speak with him. 

"My name is Wesley Wyndham-Price, and I am here to be the watcher of Faith the Vampire Slayer," he said.

"This could have been done much easier outside," Giles sighed.

"What? But there are unsuspecting innocents… Six! I saw them when I came in!"

"Two of them are slayers and the others all know about the demon world," Giles said as he opened the door to step outside.

"Two slayers? And how could those other children possibly know?" Wesley looked quite shocked as he followed Giles.

Everyone looked up to watch the discussion.

"That is Faith, your slayer. The girl next to her is Karen; she is my slayer. That is Willow, who is becoming a promising Wicca, her boyfriend Oz, a were-wolf, Xander, and his girlfriend Cordelia," Giles pointed out everyone in the group in turn. "The reason there are two slayers is because Buffy, my previous slayer, died for a few minutes, and the next girl, Kendra was called. Drusilla, an insane yet powerful and old vampire, killed Kendra and Faith is her replacement. Buffy was recently… killed.. again. And Karen is to… to take her place." Giles took off his glasses and began rubbing furiously at them. Wesley stood in shock, trying to digest everything he had heard.

"Two slayers? I was not informed of this predicament before I was sent here… I must contact the council at once. And a Wicca? And werewolf? Werewolves should be killed, not taken in!" Wesley looked as though he were about to wet his pants. 

Giles sighed again as he put his glasses back on. "Everyone here is a valuable asset, and the other four, not the slayers, have helped to save the world on one or two occasions."

Wesley's mouth fell open. "But… But…"

"Oh, good God man! Just accept it and move on! Are you really so closed in as that?" Giles demanded, as he got frustrated, flinging his arms about to emphasize his question.

Wesley looked at him. Then back at the group. Then Giles again. "I must call the council at once. How was the previous slayer killed? When and where?"

Giles looked away. "We don't know. After… After she stopped the last apocalypse she ran off. We al expected her to come back sometime, but… she won't be coming back now."

Wesley nodded. "There is a phone in your office, correct?"

Giles nodded.

"Right then," Wesley walked over to the office, a bit wobbly but he managed, and shut the door behind him. The rest of the group looked around at each other before shaking their heads and returning to their previous tasks.

*****

Buffy opened her eyes. Her head was pounding and everything looked sort of… off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew there was something wrong. And she was starving! Buffy couldn't believe how hungry she was; it was like she had never eaten before. She sat up to go get something to eat.

As she rose, she looked at her surroundings. This wasn't her apartment… It looked way too nice. And expensive. She was lying in the middle of a huge four-poster canopy bed, with velvet curtains such a dark blue that they almost seemed black. One of the sides was being held open by two ornate ropes. Buffy swung her legs over the side of her bed, and her feet found the plush, black carpeting. In her jeans and tank top, she felt very out of place. Buffy tried to remember how she had gotten there, and why she wasn't in her apartment. Then she remembered everything with Lily. How she had given her the apartment to return to Sunnydale. But instead, she had chickened out at her door and gone back to LA. She had been walking to the diner to look for Lily when she had heard someone following her. She remembered turning into an alley and attacking them when they followed her. She had been fighting… fighting… Who? And how had she gotten here still? It was… Then Buffy gasped as parts of the memory flooded back. 

"Spi-" Buffy began, but he interrupted her as he stepped into the room.

"Hello, luv. Glad to see you're finally awake," Spike said. He was holding what looked to be a glass of red wine and it smelled so delicious. "Spike!" Buffy jumped up, shaking herself out of the trance the smell was holding her in. He must have done something to it.

"Yes, pet?"

"Where am I, and what do you want? And I'm not your 'pet.'"

"Alright, luv. An-"

"I'm not your 'luv,' either," Buffy spat at him.

"Suit yourself," Spike shrugged. "Always knew you'd be a feisty one."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you remember what happened? You're in our home. And you've been dead for about a day. Fell your face, look in the mirror, whatever you like. You should probably eat, too. You're always hungry when you first rise. There's a big bash in about a week, so you'll need to get a dress," Spike put the glass on a stand near the bed as Buffy looked frightfully towards the mirror, trying to push away the memories that were coming back in full force now: the memories of her death.

_Buffy remembered fighting Spike in an alley. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand as she threw a punch at his face, and he twisted her arm behind her back, forcing her to turn around. Not even a second later, his teeth had been in her throat, drinking her, draining her… And then he had slowed down, and finally, he bit his own wrist and held it to her mouth. She had tried to resist, but she was too weak. Soon, some had slipped into her mouth and down her throat, and she was falling… falling into a black abyss…_

Buffy gasped, covering her moth with her hands as her eyes widened. Slowly, Spike moved behind her and put his hands on her hips, guiding her over to the full-length mirror in a corner of the room. As they moved towards it, Spike couldn't be seen. Buffy however, showed up in the mirror, and she could see right through her reflection. It was transparent. 

Buffy lost all control and let out an ear-splitting scream, yet before Spike could even try to stop her, the scream ended, and she slumped to the ground with a thud.

*****

Buffy rolled to her left and threw her right arm over a pillow. She smiled and curled closer to the pillow's chest. But… pillows didn't have chests… Buffy's eyes flew wide open as she rolled away. Spike was lying on top of the other side of the bed. He looked almost as though he'd been taking care of her before he fell asleep. 

Buffy sat up and looked at him, studying him. In his sleep, he looked like an angelic child almost. His face lost its harsh, cruel, and teasing look and was replaced by a soft one. His lips looked soft and full. He looked like a corpse as he lay there, unmoving. But then, he was a corpse. And so was she…

Buffy looked over at the mirror again. Slowly, she stood and walked over to it, having to crawl over Spike's body to do so. Looking into it, she stared at her reflection. She could see herself, but she could also see the bed right behind her as she stared through her chest…

"I think it's because you were the slayer, pet. I really wouldn't know. I've never heard of one being Turned before," Spike whispered in her ear as he slipped his arms around her waist and pressed himself against her back.

Buffy was amazed, She could feel him: his arms, his chest, his chin as it rested itself on her right shoulder. But she couldn't see him. She raised her hand and pressed it to the glass, staring at the reflection through her palm. 

"I'll go get you something to eat, pet. Then we can find out what else is different." Spike stepped away, and soon she heard the door shut.

Buffy looked around; the wine glass from earlier was gone. In its place stood a bowl of water with a rag in it. Buffy smiled softly. Maybe vampires could care? She shook her head. No. No, they couldn't. She noticed more drapes against the wall and walked over to them. Careful to keep them out of the way, she gently pulled them apart. A ray of sunlight trickled into the room. Cautiously, Buffy tentatively held out her hand and reached for the beam. Her fingertips went in, and she felt no pain. She slowly moved the rest of her hand into the light, staring at it in awe.

*****

When Spike returned to the room, Buffy was nowhere to be seen. Frantically, he looked around until he noticed the drapes in front of the French doors moving slightly, as though blowing in the wind.

"Buffy!" he yelled, on the verge of full panic now. Spike rushed over to the door and pulled away the drape, burning his hand in the process. He had begun cursing as he held it to his chest when Buffy stepped inside, immersed in sunlight.

Spike stared at her in amazement. She was covered in a glow from the setting sun. And she was doing something he hadn't seen since… Since that nigh tin the Bronze when they first met. She was smiling.

"Spike? What's wrong?" she looked at him curiously. He looked at her as though she were an idiot to be asking.

"Bloody hell, slayer! You're standing in the sunlight and you aren't frying to a crisp in case you haven't noticed! What kind of a reaction did you expect from me?" he shouted.

Buffy looked at him calmly. "Like you said, Spike… Must be because I'm the slayer."

Spike shook his head. It was unbelievable. A vampire. Who could stand in the sunlight and had a reflection. A transparent reflection, but a reflection nonetheless. They would have to find out what else she could do that most vampires couldn't.

"Luv…" Spike breathed in amazement.

Buffy smiled. Slowly and seductively she walked out of the light and over to Spike. She gently touched his cheek; he could still feel the warmth from the sun clinging to her skin.

"Did you sire me?" she smiled up at him. Spike stared down at her, and then nodded, beginning to grin. As soon as he nodded his head, he was lying on the ground. Spike looked up and saw Buffy's fist, realizing she had just punched him. He stared at her in an open-mouthed shock.

"Another difference, Spike? I kept my soul!" she yelled at him and ran back out into the sunlight of the balcony with Spike staring after her in complete and utter shock.

A/N: So tell me what you guys thought! Pretty please? And I'm having some issues with the internet on my computer, but I can still use my dad's to post. But things may take a bit longer because of it. Hopefully not. I've already got a good part of the next chapter done, so that should be up soon.


	3. Attractions Begin

A/N: Hey guys. My Internet hasn't been working on my computer, so I've been having issues getting stuff up, but it's fine now. The time is going to pass differently for the people in Sunnydale than Buffy and Spike, but I hope it's not too confusing. Things will eventually even out. But here's the next chapter! Tell me what you think.

It was five weeks after Buffy had first woken up from being turned. She had ignored Spike, even though at first he tried to talk to her. Every time he was particularly persistent, she would run into the sunlight or lock herself in the bathroom if it was nighttime. Spike had eventually stopped trying, and now they simply avoided each other. They had remained in LA, and it seemed they wouldn't be leaving. Buffy never went out, and Spike brought her pig's blood. She hated it, but she couldn't starve herself. In short, it was a miserable life.

The only time Buffy did leave, she went to some big vampire party on Spike's arm. She never would have thought him one to go with that sort of crowd, but she guessed there was a need for reputation being kept up, especially after having killed the slayer. Vampires and demons would stare, amazed and shocked that someone had been able to kill a slayer, let alone dared to turn one. It was something that had never been done before. Yet even then, Buffy never spoke a word. She rarely smiled; just stayed on Spike's arm all night. 

Now Spike was coming over towards Buffy as she sat on the couch watching TV.

"Next Saturday," was all he said as he laid down the box next to her. 

After he had left the room, Buffy took the box into her room. Setting it on the bed, she pulled off the lid and picked up the dress. It was a white, silk dress that fell to the floor and revealed her back. Buffy had to admit: Spike had great taste. All of the dresses he picked were gorgeous; Spike was gorgeous. 

Buffy shook her head. Thoughts of Spike that should never be there had been drifting in her head for a few weeks now. Every time she merely ignored them and chalked it up to Spike being her sire. 

"Damn bastard…" she muttered to herself. Sighing, she hung the dress in the huge walk-in closet. She had stayed in the same room she had first found herself in, and Spike was in one next to her. When minions dared to ask questions, or even to talk amongst themselves, he killed them. So they learned to just accept what went on around there. Including Spike taking her pig's blood. They could smell the difference; she knew. But other than bringing her blood, dresses, and whatever she asked for (which wasn't much), Buffy and Spike had no interaction.

Buffy stepped out onto the balcony to watch the nightlife of LA go by. Leaning against the railing, she let her thoughts wander off again. Why did Spike keep her alive? Even though he knew she had a soul? He never mentioned anything about it. Never did anything to hurt her or bother her really. Actually, he seemed to do everything he could to just let her be. It almost made no sense. Almost. Eventually, Buffy had decided he was keeping her purely for the purpose of a trophy, and part of keeping her meant having her be as satisfied as she could. So when he gave her anything she asked for, it was just him trying to keep her satisfied. 

Happy with reminding herself why Spike kept her around— or as happy as she could be under the circumstances— Buffy wondered what was going on back in Sunnydale…

*****

It had been three weeks since they had learned of Buffy's death. Most likely four since she had died, but it had been two long weeks of an annoying new watcher, and three of training a fairly new slayer and a brand new one. Three tortuous and trying weeks of mourning Buffy's death, of wondering what had happened, of having no idea what had happened since her disappearance. 

And it was after these three weeks, that the completely unexpected happened. 

Willow, Oz, Xander, and Cordelia sat around the table, researching the newest demon in town; Giles and Wesley were training Faith and Karen. All at once, the ground began to shake. 

"What's happening?" Cordelia cried, clinging to the table. The others at the table did the same as the slayers and watchers stumbled to grab hold of something stable. 

Clinging to the railing, Giles spoke. "Now children, this is California; it could just be a minor earthquake."

Xander shot him a disbelieving look. "and this is also the hellmouth. Earthquakes always mean something bad!"

Books began to fall off of shelves and crashes could be heard coming from Giles's office as the shaking increased. 

Suddenly, a body appeared out of nowhere and fell to the ground at the same time as the shaking came to an abrupt halt. The group stared at it, five in wonder and the others in confusion. 

"See? Bad," Xander was the first to speak.

"D-do you think that… he might have his soul?" Willow asked tentatively as she stared at Angel's unmoving body.

"Don't know, don't care. We should just stake him," Xander grabbed a stake that had fallen to the ground and moved towards Angel.

After getting over the shock and pain of seeing Angel, or possibly Angelus, returned, Giles spoke up. "He may have been returned for a reason. I think that it would be best to chain him up and question him when he awakes."

"Who is this creature?" Wesley demanded.

Giles sighed and took off his glasses. Rubbing them with a handkerchief he pulled out, Giles explained to the newcomers. "That is Angel, or possibly Angelus, the Scourge of Europe for centuries. Cursed by a clan of gypsies to have his soul returned to him until he lost it, causing the events leading up to and including Acathala. And now he's back. Though if he has his soul intact or not is yet to be seen."

As Giles went through his spiel, Xander moved over to Angel and dragged him into the cage where he locked him up. Wesley stared in shock and looked as if he was about to pee his pants when he heard who Angel was. Faith looked intrigued, and Karen looked confused. 

"What do you mean Angel or Angelus?" she asked.

"When he has a soul he's known as Angel. Otherwise… he's Angelus. A mean, ruthless bastard," stated Cordelia as she stared at the body lying on the ground.

Just then, Angel moaned as he began to move. The gang stared at him as he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. Looking around, he spoke in a scratchy voice that sounded as though it hadn't been used in years. 

"Buffy? Wh-where's Buffy?" Xander flinched at the question. Then he shot back a retort.

"She's dead. And I'll bet you're just so happy about that." Shock was plainly written on Angel's face. Tears began to spill from his eyes.

"Buffy's dead?" Angel asked in a weak voice.

"It's Angel," Willow said as she moved to unlock the cage. "Angelus wouldn't be able to make himself cry about her death, even if he wanted to."

They watched as she unlocked the cage and went inside to comfort him. Wrapping her arm around his body as sobs racked through him, she stroked his hair in an attempt to comfort him.

*****

In another week, Angel had adjusted enough to being back and Buffy's death to help out the gang. He had no idea why he had been returned, and it seemed that no amount of research would forfeit the answer. They were close to giving up trying.

Angel helped the girls to patrol, and the gang fell into a habit. Slayers and Angel patrol at night, gang did research when something came up, and then they help beat it down.  

About 2 weeks after Angel's return, he and Karen were on patrol alone, since Faith was badly injured from a fight the night before against six rather large demons. Karen and Angel had managed to get out of it relatively unscathed, but Faith who had taken on three by herself had gotten a nasty stab in her stomach. 

As they walked along, Karen stole a glance at Angel. She knew he had loved Buffy, she had picked that up from the others' conversations, but she still couldn't help but find herself attracted to him. He was the only person that had been around before who would actually talk to her without bringing up Buffy, though she supposed it was a painful subject. Giles and the Scoobies were always mentioning how Buffy had done some great thing, or did things in a more efficient way. Faith was no help either since all she seemed to care about was slaying, and Wesley was just an idiot. Even Karen could see that.

Karen liked spending time with Angel. After a suggestion made by Giles, Angel had offered to train the girls in Tai chi, but only Karen had taken him up on the offer. Every Saturday she would leave her apartment and go to Angel's mansion for three or four hours. Karen always liked to stay out late on patrol. Not necessarily to slay more vampires as was Faith's reason, but because it meant more time with Angel. Not having any family made life easier in the slaying department. She never had to explain where she was or the blood on her clothes.

"Seems kind of slow tonight," Karen spoke up.

"Yeah, haven't run into anything yet. Maybe we should call it a night."

"No! That's not really… I mean, we'll probably find something soon…" Karen stumbled. She hadn't wanted to lessen her time with Angel, just start a conversation.

Angel looked at her oddly. "Alright," he said slowly. They continued on.

Karen racked her brain for something to say. Seventeen years and she never had figured out how to talk to guys.

Luckily, it seemed as though she didn't have to for now as three demons suddenly appeared out of nowhere. 

The first demon tackled Angel to the ground while the other two rushed past towards Karen. As Angel struggled on the ground to kill his demon, Karen fell into a defensive stance, gripping the stake she held in her hand. One ran at her, and she stepped aside, causing the demon so trip over a tombstone. Taking advantage of the temporary absence, Karen swung to strike the last demon. As she sunk the stake into its chest, she felt a sharp set of claws rip down her backside. Angel has just stood after snapping the neck of the demon he had been fighting when he saw what happened, and Karen's scream pierced the still night air. As Angel rushed over and snapped the neck of the final demon, Karen fell to the ground. Her back was bleeding and looked like it was cut pretty deep. Not knowing what else to do, Angel scooped her up into his arms and raced off to the mansion.

*****

Karen moaned as she came to. Slowly, she sat up and looked around. She was lying in a king-sized bed in what looked to be someone's bedroom. Looking down at herself, she noticed most of her shirt had been ripped off, and a bandage was wrapped around her middle. Slowly, the memories of the previous night began to return. The three demons, the one who tackled Angel, one tripping, killing the other, and the claws that ripped through the soft flesh of her back… She gasped at the memory. She could still feel the claws rake down her back. 

Suddenly, the door opened, and Angel stepped in. He was carrying a glass of water and bottle of Aspirin. 

"You're up," he said as he set the items on the nightstand by the bed.

"Yeah…" Karen trailed off, a dazed look on her face.

"The pills are for you. They should dull the pain."

"Thanks." Shakily, she grabbed the bottle. At first Angel watched her fumble to take off the cap, but then took it from her grasp. Opening it, he handed her two. She smiled sheepishly at him before drinking them down. Setting the now empty glass back on the nightstand, she moved to stand. 

"I should probably get going… What time is it?" 

"Umm… about 7:30 I think."

"In the morning?! Oh shit! I'm gunna be late to school! I'm really sorry, I have to go." Karen rushed out of the room. Angel chased after her. 

"Karen!" he shouted as she neared the front door. She turned to face him. "Uhh... your shirt," he motioned with his hand. Karen looked down at her tattered shirt, embarrassed that she had forgotten. 

"You could have one of mine if you want," Angel offered. 

"That… That would be nice. Thanks." She followed him back to his room. Going over to a chest of drawers, Angel opened one and pulled out a black t-shirt. 

"It might be a little big…"

"That's fine," Karen said graciously as she accepted the shirt. Angel stepped out and shut the door behind him to let her change.

Karen glanced around the room. So this was Angel's bedroom. Where he slept; her hand brushed over the foot of the bed. She breathed in deep. It smelled like him. Smiling softly to herself, she slipped off the remains of her shirt and pulled Angel's black one over her head. Then she went out the door.

"I'll throw away what's left of your old one," Angel told her. She nodded thanks and turned to go. She paused; then slowly turned around. Grabbing him, she hugged him briefly.

"Thanks," she mumbled into his chest. Then she was gone.

A/N: Hope you guys liked the chapter! I know, lots of Sunnydale and not a lot of Spuffy. Since that is where this is all going in case you guys haven't noticed, I'm going to have more of that next chapter. I think the chapters are basically going to be alternating between Sunnydale and LA until the times fit together again. Review please! I'd love to know what everyone thinks on how I'm doing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I've already got a good start on the next chapter, about half probably, so that should be along soon.


	4. Secret Revelaed

A/N: Wow, I really am on a roll. It's a lot easier to write a fic when you know what you want to do with it. I feel bad because I'm getting so into writing this that I'm neglecting my other stories. I think I may work on at least one of them a bit after this chapter. But sorry it took so long to actually put this one up. I've actually had it finished for a few days, and I've even started the next chapter, but that was all during classes. Getting the time to type it all up between track practice, homework, and a boyfriend? Bit harder to do that getting bored in class. Heh. 

Karen trudged into the library at lunch. Giles looked up from the book he was studying. 

"Oh Karen, good. You didn't report last night," he said.

"Yeah, sorry. A demon got to me," she paused; unsure if she should tell him the rest of what happened.

"Oh dear. All you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine now. There were three big ones. Nasty claws." 

Giles nodded as he scribbled it down in the Watcher's diary he had pulled out. As he finished, Willow and Oz came through the doors.

"Hey, Karen," Willow greeted. "How was slaying?" 

"It went alright, I guess. Got hurt a little, but it's no big."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Karen, aren't those the same pants you wore yesterday?" Cordelia asked as she and Xander walked through the doors. 

"Leave it to Cordy to notice what people are wearing every day," Xander said. She hit his arm.

"Yeah. I didn't exactly go home last night," Karen said.

"Where'd you go?" Xander asked her.

"Uhhh… to Angel's. I guess that I blacked out after this one demon got me. He bandaged it for me."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Is that his shirt?"

"Umm, yeah…" Karen began to blush.

"Karen, are you sure you're alright? How did the demon get you?" Giles moved from behind the counter. 

Glad for the distraction, Karen answered. "It scratched my back. I don't think it's too deep. I should be fine by tonight."

Giles nodded. "Why don't you take the night off?"

Karen was a bit sad at the loss of time with Angel. Then she remembered that she had his shirt. A perfect reason to go see him… After all, he may want it back.

"Thanks, Giles," she smiled at him. Not giving Cordelia any time to continue her earlier questioning, Karen grabbed her books, saying that she had to do something for a class as she made her escape.

"I hope she really is ok," Willow said. 

"She seems fine. And what is it with these slayers and Angel?" Cordelia asked as she sat down.

"What?" Xander looked at his girlfriend. 

"Oh, please. She so obviously has the hots for him." Everyone stared at her. "What? She does! The way she blushed, the nervousness… There's no doubt."

Looking at each other, the group sighed.

"She does!" Cordelia protested.

"Even if she does, it doesn't matter; Angel won't go for it. He'll remember his last relationship. And plus, he's just too hurt," Willow said. 

The room was silent as they remembered the exact reason that he was "too hurt."

*****

Spike helped Buffy out of the car. He offered her his arm as they returned to the posh hotel where they lived. Buffy was in the white dress Spike had bought her earlier that week, and he was in a tux. It was probably 2 or 3 in the morning as they stepped inside, back from the party.

Spike walked her to her room, and then left her as he disappeared into his own. Buffy opened the door and stepped inside. Sitting at the vanity, she began to take down her hair. 

As she finished, she heard a sudden knock on the door. She walked over and cracked open the door. Spike stood on the other side with an anxious look on his face. Buffy opened the door a bit more. 

"Can I…" Spike motioned towards her. Buffy stared at him. Then finally she stepped aside and let him in, shutting the door behind him. They stood there in an awkward moment of silence, unsure where to go from there. It was the first time they had been together for a reason that wasn't necessary. 

Then Spike vigorously began to pace the room. "I can't do this," he began, waving his arms about wildly. Buffy watched in silence.

"I can't… go about things like this. Have this just be the way that things are. We avoid each other when we can and have as little to do with each other as possible when we can't. Do you want to know why Dru left?" Spike suddenly stopped, turning to face her. 

"No, I suppose you don't. And why would you?" Spike began to pace again. "Not like you care. But it was because of you. Said she saw you in me. Swimming around my head. Said I helped you kill her precious 'daddy.' And it's not right, you know. Having those thoughts. But Dru was right; they're there. They shouldn't be; I know that. But I also know, that since she left, all I've thought about was you. How I should just go back to that shit-hole town and kill you. Prove to her that she was wrong. But I didn't. And regretted killing you as soon as I had. Which ended up, with me turning you. Which I knew you wouldn't have been the same. Would have hated what I'd done to you. Hated myself for it. You'd lose that fire, that spark. But it's still there. And you kept your soul. And I bloody hate that I am, but I'm glad you did. I'm glad there's a chance you can still be… well… you." As he wound down his tirade, his pacing slowed until it finally stopped all together. Turning to look at her, Buffy saw the pained and confused look on his face. 

"I'm drownin' in you, Summers. Drowning in you. And I have no bloody clue what to do about it." They stood there, staring at each other for a long while. The air was so thick with emotion that they could practically feel it weighing down on them.

Finally, Spike heaved a great sigh and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Buffy stared after him when he left. Abruptly, she sat down on the edge of the bed. 

She had wanted to hate Spike; hate him for turning her into her worst nightmare. But she found that she couldn't. And she found that her worst nightmare had changed. And Spike had been the one to save her from it. Save her from being alone. But she still was alone for the most part. She was so confused. She thought of everyone back in Sunnydale. Thought of her mom. Of Angel.

At the thought of Angel, she felt a pang of guilt. Not because she had been forced to kill him so much as the fact that sometimes, even if it was just for a little while, she would forget all about him. It felt like she was letting him be dead. So that it was her fault he had died all over again. And she felt even worse because Buffy had only been able to forget Angel after she had started living with Spike. Sometimes, when they were out at a party, or when Spike would bring her a gift, a new dress, jewelry, shoes, when he did something sweet without even thinking about it. Open the door, pull out her chair, help her out of the car, threaten anyone who threatened or mocked her. She would forget. She would forget to hate him, forget she had loved Angel, and she would catch herself about to smile at him. And it felt so wrong, but oh, it felt so right.

Confused and tired, Buffy curled into a ball in the middle of the bed, still in her dress and with her shoes on, and cried herself to sleep.

Spike leaned himself against the door as he listened to the deep, gut wrenching sobs coming from the other side of it. Slowly, he pushed himself away and went into his own room. As he got ready for bed, his thoughts trailed back to the beauty in the next room. 

He hadn't meant to ay any of that. Hadn't meant to go over there. But his feet and hands had seemed to have a mind of their own, and his mouth had soon followed. He just hadn't been able to stand it anymore. He couldn't keep his mind off of her. He knew she hated being a vampire and hated him for making her one, but he just couldn't let her die. Unfortunately, he had realized that last fact a bit too late. 

He was being honest when he told her he had wanted to kill her. He had really believed that it would fix things. But since she had begun living with him, as soon as she was about to die in that alley, he couldn't do it. Ever since then, his thoughts about her had begun to change. Turning to things no vampire should ever think about a slayer. But then, she wasn't exactly a slayer anymore, now was she?

Sighing to himself, Spike crawled into bed and went to sleep.

*****

It was late afternoon when Buffy awoke the next day. After she showered and dressed, Buffy prepared for another oh so eventful night spent on the couch. Never in her life had she watched so much TV as she did now that she was dead; Buffy chuckled at the irony. Her thoughts then trailed back to Spike.

Never once had he tried to bend her to his will, or did he use the fact that he was her sire to try and make her do something. He never tried to make her do anything, period. Of course, he didn't seem pleased by the fact that she kept her soul, but he didn't seem upset about it either. Up until last night, she had thought he was unhappy and just keeping her for a trophy. But after his explosion… It almost seemed as though he cared for her. Or wanted to. He certainly said it that way, but could she really believe him? Spike had never been one to play games. That was Angelus. And even if he were, this was Spike, who attacked two nights early because he got bored when he first went to Sunnydale. And this had been weeks! So Buffy doubted Spike was playing any sort of games. But then, could that really mean he cared?

As these thoughts swam in her head, Spike came out of his room. He stood staring at Buffy for a bit, until she finally took notice of him. He quickly looked away and began to stride towards the door. Buffy watched, then hesitantly, she called his name.

"Spike?" his hand froze on the doorknob. Slowly, he turned to face her with a questioning look. She patted the seat next to her on the couch.

"Come sit?" was all she asked.

Spike stared, then slowly crossed the room again to sit next to her. They settled in for a night together on the couch.

*****

The next night, Buffy was sitting on the couch again. The previous night, she and Spike had sat mostly in silence except for Spike's random yells and comments at the TV and their occasional laughter.

Spike came out of his room and looked towards Buffy. He opened his mouth, then shut it again. Taking a step towards her, he opened his mouth again and let it hang there.

"Spike?" she looked at him oddly. 

"Uhh… I… I was wondering if, if you wanted to go out? To a… a movie or a club? I thought maybe you might miss going out…" Spike stuttered. Buffy looked surprised. Then she smiled.

"That would be nice. I'll go change." She disappeared into her room. Spike sat on the couch to wait, utterly shocked, yet thrilled, that she had said yes. Buffy stepped out in a tight, black tank top and blue jeans that hugged her hips. Her hair lay around her shoulders like a golden wave. 

"Ready?" Spike struggled to not let his eyes roam her body. 

"Yup. So… Where are we going?"

"Club. Not too far from here. Could walk if you don't want to go in the Desoto."

Buffy wrinkled her nose. "Definitely walking. You still have that old thing?" All she had seen to this point were limousines on the way to the big parties. 

"Yes, I still have it, and it's not an 'old thing,' Slayer. The Desoto is my baby," he pouted. 

Buffy laughed as she walked towards the door. "Whatever you say, Spike." She turned to face him. "Are we going or what?"

Spike stared at her in shock. Not once since he first saw her here in LA had he heard her laugh. He grinned as he strode to the door and opened it for her. 

"After you, Slayer," he motioned her through. 

Buffy slipped her arm through his as they strolled down the street taking to the club.

A/N: Hmmm… I realized mid-tirade that the whole thing had a sort of "Crush" feel to it, except for a whole bunch of Buffy-staring, no Dru being there, and no chains. So I just had to use the drowning bit. Couldn't help myself. I hadn't wanted this to happen so soon, I mean… Did I just have Spike ask her out on a **date**?!?! But… That was the way the writing flowed. It's what's going to be happening for a while because I have no idea what exactly is going on at the moment, especially in Sunnydale. I know where I want to get when the times match and after that, but it should hopefully be a while before then. Kinda hoping they continue to work themselves out. Review please!!


	5. Murder in Sunnydale

A/N: Sorry I kind of died on you for a couple months there guys. The last day I updated also happened to be the day my boyfriend and I broke up before getting back together like, 2 or 3 weeks ago. So I've been having some stuff going on. That and track regionals being last week... things have been crazy and I haven't had time at all to write. I should probably be studying for finals, but I want to write! Lol. So **finally** here's the next chapter. Luckily, summer is coming soon.

Chapter 5: Murder

Buffy walked into the door laughing. She and Spike had just returned from the club, and it had been a blast. Since it was Monday, it was a slow night, but they had still had a good time. She had even forgotten that they were two dead vampires, and surprisingly enough, Spike could dance. And dance they did. They had been on the dance floor for most of the night. All except when they took a break near the end, and Spike had taught her how to play pool. Buffy had never had so much fun in her life. It was just ironic, that now that she really felt she was living, she was dead, and feeling that way because of the person who killed her.

Sitting on the couch, Buffy continued laughing, Spike grinned as he sat next to her.

"Oh my God… The look on that guy's face was priceless! I can't believe you just did that!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Well, no guy can hit on you without me hitting on them," Spike winked at Buffy as she burst into another fit of giggles.

"and what about you? When that girl came and said she could show me a better time?" Spike asked with a smirk.

"Well, she really did look stuck in the 70's/ Just dying to be made fun of," Buffy giggled at the memory. "And I would have gotten bored. No one takes my man."

Both of them froze as they realized what she had just said.

"Uhhh… I-I have to go," Buffy scrambled off the couch and away into her room. Spike just stared after her.

"Bloody hell," he said as he leaned his head against the back of the couch.

Buffy was panicking. Why had she said that? Spike wasn't **her** man. Nothing to do with her. And she shouldn't have even gone out with him! It was like, some kind of first date! And all the dancing they had done. And boy could he dance…

Buffy groaned as she fell back on her bed. This could **not** be happening. She could not developing feelings for Spike. Spike who made her what she was now; Spike who was a demon; Spike who was a thing that made her crave blood; Spike that taste in clothes, and knew not to buy her too much black and red; Spike who was a perfect gentleman, and she had seen only sweet things from; Spike who took care of her all she let him; Spike who apparently had feelings for her, just like she had feelings for him…

And would it really be so wrong to be with Spike? But he didn't have a soul… But did it really matter anymore? After all, they were both demons now, soul or not. And her friends could no longer judge her. But he still killed people… Buffy toed off her shoes and hugged a pillow to her chest. Burying her face in it, she tried to escape the confusion in the bliss of sleep as the sun started to rise up over the horizon.

Karen walked into the Bronze. She didn't go often, but tonight had been a slow night patrolling, and she wanted to blow off some steam. Angel hadn't gone with her that night, and Faith had been out on her own. It had been a week since the shirt fiasco. She had stopped by the mansion a few days afterwards, but he hadn't been there, so she had just left the shirt on his bed.

Soon, Karen was on the dance floor with an attractive boy. She thought she may have seen him as school, but she wasn't sure. He did look good, but she just wasn't interested. Her mind drifted to Angel, and she did a double take as she thought she saw him enter the Bronze. Then he started to walk towards her.

"Karen, we need to talk," Angel said upon reaching her.

"hey, we were dancing!" objected the guy that she was with.

"I have to go," Karen pulled herself away from him as she took Angel's arm, and they walked outside the club.

"What is it?' Karen asked.

"It's Faith. She's killed a human. We need you at the library, " Angel told her.

Karen gasped. "What?"

"I ran into her while she was patrolling. I was looking for the two of you. She had been up against a lot of vampires, but she managed to get them all. As she dusted the last one, a man got in the way, and she accidentally staked him as well before I could tell her he wasn't a vampire. She wanted to just ignore it, but I took her to the library. Since Oz is in the cage tonight, we tied her to a chair, but Faith broke the ropes and ran out again. There's a meeting at the library before we go to get her back."

Karen nodded. "Let's go then, I guess." Quickly, the two traveled to the library.

"Good, you're here," Giles said when he saw them enter. Oz was in the cage; it was a full moon that night. Willow said on a nearby chair while Xander and Cordelia sat at a table. Wesley and Giles stood near the four. Karen sat down next to Xander.

"So, what are we going to do?" she asked.

"I think we should look for her. Split two or three groups and go out," Angel said.

"Yes, I agree," Giles said. "Willow, you stay here with Oz. Xander and Cordelia, go with Angel. Karen, you'll come with Wesley and myself," he ordered.

"Faith is my slayer; I'll be in charge of this operation," Wesley objected as he stepped forward.

"Fine, then. Just what should we do?" Cordelia asked sarcastically.

"Err… As, well, the plan Mr. Giles came up with will have to suffice for now," Wesley stammered.

Giles sighed. "All right, everyone. Let's go." The group grabbed weapons before setting out, except for Willow who stayed behind with Oz and a crossbow.

Xander, Cordelia, and Angel roamed the streets of downtown Sunnydale. Suddenly, they heard the sounds of a struggle from a nearby alley and rushed to it. In it, they saw Faith just finishing dusting off a vampire. Turning around, she saw the three and tried to run. Chasing after her, Angel caught her at a dead end and tackled her to the ground. They began to struggle as Xander and Cordelia stood by, unsure of what to do.

"Find Giles! I'll get her back to the library," Angel told them just before Faith elbowed him in the jaw.

Hesitating for a moment, the two teens left to find their mentor.

'Why do they even keep you around?" Faith spat at him. "You're just another vamp. Soul or not, they should still dust you."

"At least I know who not to kill," Angel said. For a moment, Faith froze. That moment was all Angel needed. Taking the upper hand, he locked her into a position so that she couldn't move her arms. Pulling himself to his feet, and Faith with him, without letting her escape proved to be a difficult task, but he managed. When they returned to the library, the everyone else was there. This time, they used some spare chains to keep Faith where she was.

"I've called the council. They should be here in a few hours to deal with this," Wesley said. Faith's eyes widened in fear.

"No. No fuckin' way," she shook her head.

"Yes, Faith. They will deal with you as they see fit. Not only did you kill a human being, but you tried to run from us," Wesley said. Giles and the Scoobies almost felt pity for the brunette slayer for having to deal with Wesley's stupidity and the council. Almost.

"Round robin?' Willow asked. The other teens nodded, and she moved to make the first call to begin the circle of where they would tell their parents that they were at a friend's house for the night.

A/N: I know, I know… it's short. But I really wanted to just get something up. Next will be either more on this, or "we'll Live" for anyone reading my other story. But to warn you, I've also put up a couple stories on fictionpress.com so I'll be working on those as well. But I'll make as much time for these two as possible and try to make updates more frequent.


	6. Dreaming of You

A/N: Sorry it's been a while guys. My updates do tend to be far apart. Hopefully I'll be able to fix that! I just had some major writer's block, but I'm pretty sure I have a good idea of where this story is going again finally! This would have been up a little sooner today, but well, 6 in the morning, I figured typing up the last page or so of the story wasn't quite so dire as sleep. Lol. And in response to a couple reviews, having Faith escape does sound like a good idea, but I think she may have to go through some stuff to come to a "ley's not kill people" state. And having Wesley be more like he is on Angel would be a lot more fun, I agree. Maybe I could connect those two? It would help give me filler for a between Spuffiness area! Lol.

Chapter 6: Dreaming of You

Members of the council were scattered through the library. More specifically, Quentin Travers was speaking with Giles and Wesley while a few more men, all dressed completely in black, unchained Faith from the chair and snapped manacles around her wrists and ankles before leading her out of the room at gunpoint. It was now around 7 AM Saturday morning. Luckily, Oz had changed back to his non-wolf self before the council arrived and after he dressed, Giles let him out of the cage. Angel left through the sewers around that time as well. Now the teens walked out of the room on their way to an early breakfast after bidding a quick good-bye to Giles. Soon, only Travers, Wesley, and Giles remained standing in the room.

Travers smiled. Not only was he rid of Buffy Summers, but soon Rupert Giles would be out of his hair as well. He was going to enjoy this…

"Mr. Giles, Mr. Wyndham-Price," Travers nodded his head. Giles nodded back in acknowledgement.

"Mr. Travers," Wesley said.

"Mr. Giles, I am handing over watcher duties of Karen the vampire slayer to Mr. Wyndham-Price," Travers said smugly.

"Excuse me?" Giles scoffed in disbelief.

"Yes, since there were two slayers, and you were already on location, we let you train Karen while Mr. Wyndham-Price took charge of Faith. But now that Faith is coming with us, you are no longer necessary."

Giles stood in shock, unable to form words.

Travers smirked. "Have a good day, gentlemen." With that said, he turned around and left the library.

It was two days since Buffy and Spike had gone out. All day, she locked herself up in her room. At nights she would wait for him to leave before she left her room, and she would enter once again before he returned.

She had spent the last few days and nights in a constant state of confusion. Spike was her Sire, yes, and therefore she was his Childe. She was no longer the slayer, but a vampire. An ensouled, non-killing one, but a vampire never the less. Spike, on the other hand, was a murdering, evil vampire. Just because he was sweet, kind, and caring to her, didn't mean he was to the human populace, and all though no longer her job, Buffy still felt the need to defend those innocent lives. The instinct to kill¾ not humans, but vampires and demons¾ to stake, to dust, to **slay** was still in Buffy's bones, imbedded into her very being, into the very essence of what made Buffy Buffy.

She had tried to figure out if it would be all right to possibly make more of what she had with Spike, but she couldn't. So she had tried to repress her feelings¾ to ignore them, and reject them. But she couldn't do that either. So now she was back at square one with no idea what to do. She knew she had to face Spike at some point, but she wanted to avoid that as long as she could. She still couldn't believe she had said he was her guy. Her guy?! What had she been thinking? She hadn't been, that was the problem. She sighed.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Buffy's head. It was crazy, but maybe… maybe it just might work? She hoped so. Then, she wouldn't have to worry about her moral issues about being with Spike. No worries at all… If her outlandish idea worked. In her mind, she began to form a plan…

That night, when Spike got back in, Buffy sat on the couch, watching TV. Though shocked to see her out, Spike was happy as well. He may not admit it, but he had missed her. Slowly, he walked over to the couch and looked at her, unsure if he was welcome or not. Buffy turned her head so she was staring at him and smiled warmly. Spike figured that was as good as anything and sat next to her on the couch. He stared at the TV, but didn't really register it. He was too busy wondering about the body next to him. What he didn't realize was that Buffy was doing the same thing.

After a few moments, Buffy turned her body to face him. Curious, Spike looked over at her.

Buffy had a slightly determined look on her face, yet also very hesitant. The mix was interesting to see as it played across her features. Taking a deep breath, she began.

"Spike... I want…" She looked up at him and decided to change her approach. "Lately I've been thinking. About us. Or the lack thereof and the possibility of there becoming an 'us'."

Spike just continued staring at her, his face indifferent and giving away nothing. With another deep breath, Buffy plunged on.

"But well, you know I still have my soul. And you know I wouldn't kill a human being. And it bothers me enough that you do every night, and I do nothing to stop it. But if I were to be with you, and that went on… I just couldn't take it. So… So Iwantyoutostopkilling," Buffy rushed the last part, slurring the words together.

"What?" Spike said, not sure he'd heard her correctly.

"I said, I want you to stop killing," Buffy repeated, slower this time.

Spike stared at her, expressionless. Then the corners of his mouth began to twitch, and soon he was laughing uncontrollably.

"Oh, pet. That's rich. You want me to stop feeding? What, should I start bagging it?" This set Spike into another fit of laughter.

Buffy was pissed. She knew it had been a ridiculous idea, but at least it had been an idea. And here he was laughing at her!

"Well I'm glad you find my moral dilemmas so funny! And I'm not your 'pet'," she spat at him. "I do have a name you know."

"But that's what everyone calls you. I want what I call you to be special," Spike said, wisely deciding to ignore her first comment. Honestly, he had been wondering himself how he could be attracted to something that, by all means, was still good.

"Why?" she shot back.

"Because I'm special," he smirked at her.

She stared at him as he just continued to give her that damn smirk. She wanted to reach out and wipe it off his face with a punch.

"Fine," she finally caved in to his idiocy. "Just not 'pet' or 'luv'." She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back on the couch.

"Kitten?"

"No."

"Why the bloody hell not?"

"Childish."

"Sugar?"

"Bleh!"

"Honey?"

"Why all so… cutesy! You're supposed to be the 'Big Bad', aren't you?"

"Angel?"

They both froze as they realized what he'd said. Neither of them had ever brought up Angel.

"Or, something else…" Spike tried to backpedal.

Buffy got up and began to stomp off to her room.

Spike began to panic. He didn't want her to lock herself up again for who knew how long.

"Tiger?" he randomly threw the word out. Buffy halted in her march. She cocked her head to the side before slowly turning to face him, a grin on her face.

"Tiger," she repeated slowly. "I like that." And with that said she sat back on the couch to watch more TV until the two retired to their own rooms to sleep.

As Spike lay in bed, he began to dream… His slip up to Buffy made him remember Dru, who he hadn't thought about in weeks, the only exception being when he mentioned her in his tirade to Buffy. So because of this, it was of her he dreamt…

_"My Spike," Drusilla was dancing in the moonlight, head thrown back to see the stars. Miss Edith sat nearby on the ground._

_"Spike," Dru called to him again. He walked over to her._

_"Dru?" he asked._

_"My Spike. My darling boy…" she reached out to touch him, but hissed and sharply drew her hand back._

_"Pet? What's wrong?" Spike reached out to her, but she recoiled, pulling away from him._

_"You're all covered in light. My Spike's left me… He's left me for the nasty slayer." Dru began to sway back and forth. She moaned, holding her hands to her head. _

_"It hurts, it hurts. My Spike's gone and fallen, and he can't get up. He's fallen… fallen... and not with me…" Dru babbled, still holding her head and swaying in the moonlight._

_"Dru, luv, what are you talking about?" Spike took a step toward her. She lifted her head and looked at him._

_"My Spike's not mine anymore… He's fallen for the nasty slayer." She began to moan again. Spike stared at her, shocked. _

_Suddenly, his surroundings changed to an inside darkness. He was back sitting on the couch with Buffy sitting next to him as they had been earlier that night. _

_"Buffy?" Spike asked, confused by the sudden change._

_Buffy looked over at Spike, and after a moment she smiled; it was a warm and welcoming smile._

_Spike held her gaze like that for a moment, and then, unable to help himself, he leaned over to kiss her…_

Just as their lips met, Spike snapped into a sitting position in his bed, gasping for air.

The next room over, Buffy lay in her own bed, also dreaming… When Spike had said Angel earlier, she had felt horrible. Not necessarily at the reminder of what had gone on back in Sunnydale, but at the fact that for the past two days, she hadn't had a single thought about him. All her thoughts had been on Spike and what she was going to do. So because of this, it was of Angel she dreamt…

_Buffy sat on a bench in the shade of a tree. She squinted her eyes against the bright rays of the outside sunlight._

_She felt a hand rest itself on her shoulder. Turning to see who it was, Buffy gasped._

_"Angel!"_

_"Hi, Buffy." Angel smiled at her as he sat down in the empty spot next to her._

_"Angel, what are you doing here?" Buffy asked him. "I… I sent you to hell," she said guiltily._

_"I know, Buffy. But it's ok. Everything will turn out fine. Just keep following your heart. You've done a good job so far."_

_"Huh? What do you mean?" Buffy asked him with a puzzled look on her face._

_Angel smiled at her again. "Be with who you want to be with, Buffy. And never let anyone make you do otherwise. When you need a friend, I'll always be here for you."_

_"Angel?" Buffy began to panic, especially when Angel began to fade out of sight._

_"Angel!" Buffy reached for his hand, but only grasped ait between her fingers._

_Suddenly, her surroundings changed to an inside darkness. She was back sitting on the couch with Spike sitting next to her as they had been earlier that night. _

_"Buffy?" Spike asked, looking over at her with a confused look on his face._

_Buffy looked at him, finally processing all that Angel had told her._

_Follow her heart… Buffy smiled at Spike. She planned to do just that. And nothing and no one was going to get in her way, not even her morals._

_As Spike began to lean over to kiss her, Buffy leaned in to kiss him as well…_

Just as their lips met, Buffy snapped into a sitting position in her bed, gasping for air.

A/N: Hope I did Dru well. I always thought she'd be a hard character to write, but actually, she came to me with surprising ease. I had fun with it. I hope you guys enjoyed the dream sequences. I know I did. teehee. I kind of did that to help speed up the process of things in LA a bit. I was planning on the reunion being in another chapter of two, but there's still a few things to be done in Sunnydale, so I'm hoping to get that done in the next chapter. If I do, the scoobies should be back with Buffy soon!


	7. I'm Still Living

A/N: I just realized I hadn't really mentioned how much time had passed with Buffy and Spike, so for the sake of any confusion, since at last mention Karen and Faith had been around about 6 weeks, we'll say Spike and Buffy had been together in LA for about 7.

And in response to the reviews, thanks to everyone who has so far! It really makes my day. Especially when I see one from an author I recognize! And Jakeywakey, I'm sorry if it seems like I've stolen a scene, but to the best of my memory, I haven't. I was really shocked when I read your review. I searched for the name you gave me here on ff, but I didn't find it. If you could please, could you tell me which scene? In my own defense I'd just like to mention that people do things like this all the time… But thank you, and I hope you still enjoy the story!

Chapter 7: I'm Still Living

Buffy stood on her balcony. After he dream she had been unable to get back to sleep so she had gone outside for some fresh air. The cool night wind against her equally cool skin relaxed her.

Suddenly, the other door on the balcony opened, and Spike stepped out. Their rooms shared the same balcony. Spike looked like a deer caught in the headlights when he saw Buffy leaning against the railing. Buffy eyes widened as well until she noticed his stance. He stood, half in the apartment, half outside on the balcony and a hand resting on the door handle and one foot still raised to take another step. She began to giggle.

"What?" Spike glared at her, finally moving and finishing stepping onto the balcony.

"You. You looked funny," Buffy said, calming herself.

"Did not."

"You did too!"

"No!"

"Oh come on, like you wouldn't have thought it was funny if I had done that," Buffy said. Spike looked thoughtful, then he grinned.

"Ok, so maybe it was pretty funny."

They smiled at each other, standing in a comfortable silence. Spike moved to stand next to her, also leaning against the railing.

Each were lost in their thoughts of the other. In her mind, Buffy was still debating whether or not it would be ok to be with him. In truth, most of the time she forgot that he was an evil, soulless killer. He made her happy, and that was hard to do nowadays. As she thought this, Spike was thinking of why she seemed so reluctant to go to him. True, he had killed her, but he was her Sire. Only because he killed her, but still… Maybe it was Angel? When he had mentioned him earlier she was still extremely hurt it seemed. Spike wondered what had happened after he'd left. But if she obviously wasn't willing to tell, he wouldn't ask. His thoughts drifted to when she asked him to stop killing. That had been one of the most ridiculous requests he had ever heard. But then again, maybe it wasn't. After all, she had been a slayer and she still had her soul--she was still Buffy. Spike shook his head. He had no idea.

Buffy looked over at Spike as he shook his head. She wondered what he was thinking. Spike stared back at her. Suddenly, standing there on the balcony, Buffy couldn't quite remember all her reasons she had just been using to not be with Spike. All she could remember was that she was attracted to him, and he obviously was attracted to her as well. Throwing any and all doubt out of her mind, she leaned forward and began to kiss him. At first, he seemed surprised, but soon began to kiss her back with a passion she had never felt before. She put her arms around his neck to pull him closer. Spike picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, trying to get as close as she possibly could to him. Stumbling across the balcony to his door, Spike pulled it open and made it over to his bed. Putting her down, they began to show each other just how much they had come to care for one another over the past two months…

* * *

Back in Sunnydale, things were hectic…

"Karen! You cannot neglect your duties as a slayer! As your watcher, I insist that yo-"

Karen cut Wesley off. "I'm not 'neglecting my duties'," she shot at him. "I'm just not letting **you** be my watcher!" She turned to face Giles. "Giles, how could they do this to you? It's not fair!"

"Yeah, G-man. I have to agree," Xander spoke up from his spot at the table. The rest of the Scoobies nodded. Giles sighed.

"Children, the council has made their decision. For what reason, I do not know, but Wesley is to be Karen's watcher now."

"Thanks you, Mr. Giles," Wesley said.

"But-" Giles continued, "it does not mean I will not be here for you, Karen," he told the girl. Karen nodded.

"All right. But Wes, you have **got** to loosen up if you're supposed to be my watcher," she grinned.

Wesley sputtered. "My name is Wesley, not 'Wes'. I would appreciate if you would call me by my given name."

Karen rolled her eyes. "Well it's not like W-man would fit." She grinned at Xander who grinned back. As Wesley flustered some more, she spared a glance at the clock. "Oops, gotta go patrol. I'll check in tomorrow morning. Bye, guys!" she gave a wave as she left the room.

* * *

As she went through her third grave yard that night, a tingling sensation ran up her spine. Spinning around, she held her stake to the vampire's chest.

"Woah, Karen!" Angel held up his hands.

"Oh, God! Angel! I'm sorry! I didn't know it was you!" she put her stake back down by her side.

"It's ok. But something else isn't. We need to get to Giles at the library."

"What happened?" Karen asked as they began to walk towards the school.

"I was watching the council to make sure they had things with Faith under control. She broke loose and she's out on the town again."

"She's what?! What are we supposed to do now?"

"That's what we're going to find out," he said with a determined look on his face as they continued to walk.

"Giles! We have a problem!" Karen said as the two walked into the library. It was another wolf night for Oz, so he was in the cage and Willow in a chair next to it again. Xander and Cordelia stopped in their path halfway to the door. Apparently they had been about to leave.

"You two may want to sit back down," Karen said to them. Giles came out of his office, Wesley tailing behind him.

"Karen? Angel? What's wrong?" Giles asked, a worried expression on his face.

"Faith escaped," Angel said.

"What!?!" three teens and a librarian exclaimed.

"Impossible. The council would never allow such a thing to happen," Wesley said.

"Well it happened," Karen shot at him.

"I was watching to make sure things went ok, and she got away from them. Knocked out three guards and stole the keys to her chains," Angel informed the group. Giles looked grim.

"We need to find her. But we'll start tomorrow. Xander, you and Cordelia can go on home as you planned. Angel, could you…?" Giles trailed off. Angel nodded.

"Aww, now we have Dead Boy for company?" Xander complained, but he and Cordelia left with Angel.

Karen went out after them. "I'll see you tomorrow, Giles. Night, Will."

"Bye," the two called after her.

"Giles? What are we gunna do?" Willow asked him.

"I'm not sure, Willow. Im afraid I'm not sure…"

"We must alert the council at once!" Wesley said.

Giles stopped him. "You fool! Don't you think they all ready know? After all, it's them she escaped from! If anything, it's they who should have warned us."

"Er, yes, quite," Wesley tried to back pedal. "I wonder why they wouldn't have…" he looked thoughtful.

"Because they don't care about us! We're expendable! And there are others who know about the slayers and the council that they don't approve of. Thank God they don't know of Oz's status as a were-wolf or things would be much worse," Giles ranted. Sometimes Wesley's ignorance and stupidity amazed him.

Wesley floundered for a response. Sighing, Giles headed back into his office.

* * *

Faith stared at the ceiling of the motel room she had gotten. She had been lying on the bed for two hours now. When she'd escaped she had run and gotten a room right away, but under a fake name in case the council looked for her. She just hoped they wouldn't describe her looks as well as ask for her name, but it was either that or sleep on the streets, which she really didn't want to do. She sighed. Contrary to how she had been acting, she did feel bad about killing that guy. She never panned on doing it again. He had just… been in the wrong place at the wrong time. And of all the lives she saved, being responsible for one wasn't so bad, was it? But the guilt pressed down heavily on her, and she didn't know what to do. She hoped that after a few days, the council would just leave town and she could maybe go to the Scoobies, and they would help her. But she doubted the council would be leaving without her, and she doubted the Scoobs would help her, since they had been the ones to call the council in the first place. Rolling onto her side, she decided to get some sleep.

* * *

A few days later, Giles, Wesley, and the Scoobies sat around the library table. The sound of the door slowly opening was heard, and they lifted their heads up to see who it was. Faith stood nervously, looking ready to bolt

"Uh, hi, guys," she gave a small wave.

"Faith! What are you doing here?" Willow asked.

"Well, uh…" Faith began.

"We must alert the council!" Wesley stood to go make the call. Giles stopped him.

"I don't believe there's any need to inform them of this," he said. Faith looked relieved, but Wesley was appalled.

"Excuse me, but we really shou-" Giles interrupted Wesley.

"Sit down. Faith, why don't you come take a seat as well?" Obviously nervous, Faith came into the library, but stayed a short distance away from the others.

"I think I'll just stay here for now," she said. Giles nodded in understanding that she didn't trust them. After all, they had just handed her over to the council last time.

"Well, uh… I just… Look, I am sorry about what happened. I know I acted like I wasn't, and I ran away, but…"

"Yes?" Giles prompted her.

"I was scared, ok?!" Faith began to pace. "I killed some guy, and I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what you guys would do. And we all saw what you did. But… I don't want to go with them. I still want to stay here and be a slayer. You guys are the closest things I've had to friends in… well… ever," Faith stopped pacing and looked around at the faces of the gang nervously as she finished.

They all stared back for a moment before Giles spoke. "Well then, welcome back. It won't be easy, you understand, there will be far more training, especially to attune your senses to who, or rather what, is near," he looked at her sharply. Faith hung her head. "But," Giles carried on, "since you are willing to work, we'll give you the chance."

Faith looked up and smiled. Just then, Angel entered the room.

"Faith," he said. Faith looked at him warily.

"It's all right, Angel. She's back with us," Karen said, standing from her seat. Angel locked eyes with her, and after a moment of silence, he nodded his head. Cordelia rolled her eyes at the closeness the two seemed to have developed, but no one else seemed to notice. She shook her head. Was she really the only one who wasn't blind? She gave Karen a pointed look, causing the girl to blush.

"Well, uh, I guess we should patrol," Karen mumbled as she grabbed her bag. She looked curiously at Faith, then to Giles. "Should we…" she began, uncertain. Giles heaved a sigh, then nodded.

"Go. Karen, report in tomorrow. Faith, will you be here as well?"

Faith looked uncertain for a moment, then slowly she nodded. She figured if she was going to gain back their trust, she had to dive in completely. "Yeah, I'll be here," she said. Then the two slayers and souled vampire left.

"Do you think it could work with Faith, Giles?" Xander asked.

Giles nodded after a moment. "I believe if she's willing to throw herself into her slaying duties full-heartedly, then yes, it could."

"You think she really will?" Willow asked.

"She seems to want us to trust her again. After all, she's coming here tomorrow morning. Normally the only time she's here is for training," Oz said in his normal calm manner, taking it all in as usual. This seemed to put his girlfriend at ease. After a moments silence, Cordelia spoke up.

"So, I'm really the only one who sees it?" she asked the group.

"Sees what, Cor?" Xander asked.

"Angel and Karen!" she said, as though it were completely obvious what she was talking about.

"well, of course we see them, they're not invisible or anything…" Xander said slowly.

Cordelia lightly slapped his arm. "That's not what I meant! I meant their obvious attraction for one another!" The rest of the group shook their heads.

"Right, Cordelia," Willow said.

"What? It's true!" she objected.

"Of course it is, Cordy. Now let's just get back to researching this stuff for the G-man," Xander coaxed her.

"Xander, how many times must I tell you not to call me that?" Giles began to clean his glasses. Cordy crossed her arms over her chest, seeing it was useless.

"Well, like Karen said the other day, it's not like it's W-man," Xander shrugged. Giles glared at him as he put his glasses back on, then sighed and went back to work.

* * *

It was one week later when Angel and the girls came across a vamp on patrol that dropped something during the fight. After he was dust, Angel picked up the paper. Studying the envelope, he turned it over in his hands before ripping it open. He pulled out the card and read it. He looked shocked, then his face contorted in anger and he ran off, ignoring the calls of the two slayers.

Bursting into the library, Angel began to speak. "We have to get to LA! Now!"

"Angel? What are you talking about?" Giles looked up from the book he was reading. Willow was sitting at the table across from him, and Wesley was in Giles's Office. No one else was there at the time.

"This! I'm talking about this!" Angel waved the paper in his hand about wildly. Just then, the two slayers burst through the doors.

"Angel, calm down. What is it?" Karen asked.

"Yeah. What's got your panties all bunched up, soul-boy?" Faith threw herself down into a chair. Karen glared at her, but Angel ignored her as he handed Giles the paper. Giles read it. Then read it again, and then a third time to be sure he was certain of what it said.

"Good Lord! Angel's right; we must get to LA!" he burst out. Wesley came out at the noise.

"What does it say?" Willow stood from her seat.

"It's... It's an invitation to a party," Giles began. "One being hosted by Spike in LA. And it's to show off his 'prize.' The Slayer."

"What? But we're right here," Karen objected.

"Not you two. Buffy," Angel spoke softly. Willow, Wesley, Faith, and Karen looked at him with a confused expression.

"Angel, Buffy's dead; remember?" Willow spoke softly.

"Yes, I do. And Spike killed her. Then he turned her," Angel whispered harshly. The room was silent.

"Wh-What? Spike... turned Buffy?" Willow's voice was shaking.

"It would appear so," Giles said.

"So, what are we doing? Going in and killing them all?" Faith asked, anticipating a good fight.

"That is far too dangerous a stunt," Giles said. "Especially with… with Buffy as a vampire. As powerful as she was as a slayer, it's very likely that she is even more so as a vampire."

"But wouldn't she have come back to kill us?" Willow asked hesitantly. "After all, isn't that what you did Angel…" she trailed off.

"Yes," Angel looked pained. "And I'm not sure why she wouldn't really."

"Maybe… Maybe something's different?" Willow suggested.

"Like what?" Karen asked. She had been silent the entire time as she soaked in the information. She glanced over at Angel, knowing it must be killing him inside.

"Well, I'm not sure exactly. Giles?" Willow looked at the man.

"I don't know. I must say it is a rather… unexpected surprise. I suggest we deal tomorrow with everyone's help."

Angel nodded. "I'll be by after sunset." With that he disappeared. Karen moved to run after him, but Giles stopped her.

"Was there anything else the three of you encountered tonight?" he questioned the slayers.

"Nope, just a couple of fledglings whose asses we kicked," Faith perked up at the thought of violence.

"Yes, well, I suppose that's all for tonight then," Giles sighed. I'll see you two tomorrow."

Karen rushed out the door after Angel. When she got outside however, he was nowhere to be seen, not that she hadn't expected that. She sighed and decided to let him have his space for now.

A/N: Finally! Took seven chapters before there was **finally** some Spuffy action! I had been wondering myself when that was gunna happen! Lol. I decided I'd keep the rating down though, so I left that bit to your imaginations. ; ) And I realize Faith was a bit too open for her normal self, but I didn't like the idea of just sending her off, so lil badass, I sort of used your idea for Faith to escape, but I don't really want her with Buffy yet. And Petra, I am sort of trying to get Wesley to loosen up. I'm not exactly sure what to do though, but I think I have some semblance of an idea. Heh. But wow, a lot happened this chappie. Heh. I'm glad though. Hope you guys liked it, too! But there's still a li'l bit of LA stuff I want to get taken care of, so I figured I'd put a pause on Sunnyhell for now and get the gang's reactions and planning after that. But In another chapter or two is the reunion!


	8. Planning

A/N: Hey guys. Thanks to all the wonderful people who reviewed last chapter. RedsLover03 and Petra, I guess you guys will just have to wait and see what happens! Lol. Slayer rock chick, I dunno. I had kind of been planning to put Karen and Angel together at first, but I'm not sure now that I think about it. I guess Angel will decide that for himself this chappie, or soon. BA Shipper, those are some great ideas and I loved them all! Sadly though, I all ready have an idea for how I'm going to pull this off, I just have to get it written! Lol. But I do greatly appreciate your input! Thank you so much!

**Chapter 8: Planning**

The next day at school, Karen was distracted all day. She was worried about Angel. As soon as her last class was out she rushed to the library.

"Giles, there's uh... something… I have to go do. Bye!" she said, and rushed out past the Scoobies as they went in.

"Woah, where's the fire?" Xander asked. Giles merely shook his head.

"She said she had something to do. But I think all of you need to hear this…"

"We heard, Giles," Cordelia said. "Willow told us."

"Yes, quite." Giles took off his glasses and began to clean them.

"Well though, I have been thinking of a plan. You see, since we have an invitation right here… Well, Angel could go in undercover and hopefully none of the other vampires would recognize him. Karen or Faith, possibly both, could go as his dates. Again, hopefully, none of the vampires will notice they are the slayers." Giles set his glasses back on.

"Yes well, we need to get Buffy and bring her back here. I think… Well, Willow, could you do the soul restoration spell on her?"

Willow nodded. "Yeah of course, Giles. When?"

"Before we go to bring her back," Giles said. Wesley walked out of Giles's office in time to hear what Giles said.

"Bring who back?" he questioned the group.

"All right. I'll get the ingredients and do it tomorrow," Willow nodded. "I'll go now."

"Good, we only have three days," Giles said.

"Three days till what?" Wesley asked as Willow and Oz left the library.

"Anything we can do?" Xander asked, eager to help get his best friend back.

"Yes, we need to research to see if this has ever been done before," Giles said. Xander groaned, but he and Cordelia sat down and began to look through the books sitting on the table. Wesley came and sat as well, sighing.

"What are we looking for?"

Giles looked at him, unsure, then let out a sigh of his own. "To see if any previous slayers have been turned," he answered.

Wesley stared at him, the wheels in his head turning. "Buffy was turned into a vampire?" he asked. Giles nodded. Wesley tensed. For a moment, Giles feared he would run off to call the council, which was the last thing they needed right now, but instead Wesley pulled a book to him.

"I suppose the council doesn't need to know… After all, they're probably looking for Faith in China by now…" he muttered. Giles let out a breath of relief as the four began to research.

* * *

Buffy stretched as she awoke. Then she felt something next to her… Or more like… some_one_. Buffy looked over to see Spike sleeping next to her still. His arms were wrapped around her, and hers were around him. She had a leg thrown over him as well. Gasping, she began to scramble away from him, but his arms tightened around her, preventing her from getting away. Buffy froze. Was he awake? She looked at his face. His eyes were closed, and he was making no further moves. She was sure that if he were awake, he'd have at least said something by now. She leaned towards his ear.

"Spike, I'll be right back, ok?" she murmured.

He mumbled something, but she couldn't quite catch it. Slowly she disentangled herself from his embrace and crept out of the room. Once she had shut the door behind her, she ran to her own and curled into a little ball on her bed.

"My God…" she said to herself, holding a pillow tight to her chest. "What did I do?"

* * *

Once she had shut the door and run off, Spike opened his eyes with a look of sadness in them. He had hoped she wouldn't do that once she woke up. He had tried to get her to stay, but he knew she wanted out. So he let her. He sighed in frustration and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. But still… he was getting closer. And he supposed that was the important part. After all, they had all the time in the world… Or so he thought…

* * *

Karen opened the door to Angel's mansion as she crept inside.

"Angel?" she called out, but no one answered her but her own echoing voice.

She went in the house further until she reached his bedroom door. Slowly bringing her hand up from her side, she let it rest on the doorknob for a moment before turning it. She stuck her head inside, and saw Angel lying with his back to the door on the far side of his bed. Slowly and quietly, she slipped into the room and shut the door behind her. Just as the door shut, Angel spoke.

"What are you doing here?" Karen jumped at the unexpected voice.

"I-I just wanted to see if you were all right," she managed to get out.

Angel sat up and turned to look at her. "Karen, I just found out that a vampire, one of my own like no less, has turned Buffy, the girl I love," his expression was pained. Karen shrunk back as he said the last five words, but Angel didn't seem to notice as he carried on.

"So no, I'm not all right," he said. Karen stared at him for a second, before shaking her head, as if to rid her mind of something.

"Well, is there anything I could do to help?" she moved to sit next to him on the bed.

Angel shook his head. "Not really. I think I just need to be alone right now."

"But Angel-" he cut her off.

"Karen, I really just want to be alone."

Karen looked at him, tears prickling the back of her eyes, threatening to come to the forefront. She got up and hurriedly left the room and the mansion.

What was I thinking? she thought to herself as the tears began to fall. I'm so stupid. I mean, what did I expect anyway? I should have known. He's in love with her, not me. He barely even sees me as a friend… her mind was in chaos as she wandered off into the late afternoon.

* * *

Willow has the spell set up and started. "Asa sa fie! Asa sa fie! Acum! Acum!" ("So shall it be! So shall it be! Now! Now!") she shouts the last words of the spell. The orb starts to gather a glow, but before it gets bright at all, it suddenly falters, and dies. Willow looks confused.  
  
"That's not what's supposed to happen… I think…" she trailed off.  
  
"What?" Giles asked.   
  
"Well, that's not what it did last time. So either it didn't work last time, or... it didn't work now…" no one had ever asked Angel if the spell had worked or not, and he had never told, so they had no way to be sure.  
  
Giles thought this information over. "Well… it would seem that given the situation, I suppose we will just have to take our chances and hope that it worked this time."  
  
Xander nodded and spoke from his seat at the table. "Even if it doesn't… couldn't we like, I dunno, pretend Angel lost his to get her to go with him so he can get her here? And we have two slayers. We could get her here, right? Then cage her till Wills can get the spell to work."  
  
Giles blinked. "I think the end of the world is upon us," he muttered. Then heaved a sigh. "I agree with Xander," he cringed as he said the words. Xander's head whipped around to look at Giles and his mouth opened to speak, but Wesley interrupted.   
  
"So should we plan how we are going to carry through with this plan? After all, there are just two days to plan. Today is all ready Thursday."  
  
Giles nodded in agreement. "Yes. Once the sun goes down, Faith, Karen, and Angel should be arriving. We can start the planning then." The others nodded their agreement. "Until then, let's continue researching for previous cases of this," he said as he sat at the table and opened a book, the other, Xander with his obligatory complaints, followed suit.

* * *

"Uhh.. I think this is it," Oz said, looking up from his book. Everyone else looked up at him, so he looked back at the book and began to read.  
  
"In 1563, the current slayer, Anne Hathworth, was turned by master vampire Thomas Wellington. A week after her supposed death, she turned up at the door of her watcher's, John Belford's, house. She looked as though she had been tortured for weeks. He refused to invite her in, because of her vampire status, but soon it became apparent something was wrong, that she still had her soul. He took her in and cared for her, but soon Thomas was back for her, and his unstopping attempts to get her back before he was staked by John contributed to her later unavoidable insanity."  
  
Oz looked up again as he finished.  
  
"Uh… wow," Xander said, for once with no lame joke.  
  
"Y-yes. Quite," Giles began to polish his glasses.  
  
Suddenly, the two slayers entered through the libraries main doors. Faith was jumpy, as always, and Karen seemed rather dazed.   
  
"So, what's the what ,watcher-man?" Faith asked Giles.  
  
He stared at her for a moment, before deciding to just let the name slide in light of the situation. "We found reference to another slayer being turned. Apparently, she kept her soul, and later went insane. I'm not entirely sure why though…" he trailed off.  
  
"Probably because of the demon inside of her. It would have conflicted with her soul," Angel said as he appeared from the stacks. Giles nodded.  
  
"Yes, that's probably it."  
  
"Hey, do you think maybe that's why the spell didn't work? Because Buffy all ready has her soul?" Willow asked.  
  
"Yes, Willow that's it! Well, that does make this easier to get her back then…" Giles said.  
  
Karen kept looking at Angel, but no one noticed. She was still hurt from the day before at the mansion.  
  
"So, how are we to do this Saturday night?" Wesley asked the group.  
  
Everyone thought over the question.  
  
"Well, we all ready know Angel's going, now who's his date gunna be? Faith or Karen?" Cordelia said. "And, they need clothes," she added, forever Queen C.   
  
"That is a good point. Not the… well, ok… maybe the clothes as well, but who will go in with Angel?"   
  
Angel shook his head. "Not Karen or Faith. If anything I go alone. But they'll be expecting someone if anyone recognizes me, which is much more likely because of… last year."  
  
"Why can't it be one of us?' Faith demanded.  
  
"They'll smell you. They'll known you're the slayers," Angel responded. "It would ruin the entire plan."  
  
"They can smell that?" Faith asked in amazement. Angel nodded.   
  
"Well then, who's it gunna be?" Xander asked. Everyone looked around the room at everyone else.  
  
"Well, the only other women in the room are Cordelia and Willow, so they would be the logical choices," Wesley said. Willow looked terrified, and even Cordelia seemed a bit scared.  
  
"We cannot send them in! they're defenseless!" Giles objected.  
  
"Actually, Willow's a great witch. She could defend herself," Cordelia tried to get out of it. "Me though? I'm completely helpless. Totally vulnerable," she nodded her head to emphasize her point. Willow looked at her in horror.  
  
"No," Angel spoke up. "I'll just go alone. Or Faith or Karen could go with me, and we can hope no one notices."Giles sighed. "I suppose we'll have to since there's really no other option."  
  
Suddenly, Oz spoke up. "I've got an idea," he said. Everyone looked at him. "How about we try this…"   
  
Once Oz had explained his plan, the others nodded. "That just might work," Giles said.  
  
"Sounds good," Xander sat back.   
  
"Well people, let's get to work!" Faith said.   
  
A/N: Hey guys. I know this was a Sunnyhell oriented chappie, though it should have been Spuffy to fit the pattern, but I needed to get the gang's planning and all that happened in here in, and really the next part I need for Spuffiness is when the gang all meets up again. Sooo… yeah. And I just realized this chapter that I've had none of the Giles/Angel tension really, and Xander and Cordelia really aren't supposed to be together because of the Xander/Willow stuff, buuuuut… Well, I like them together, and the Angel/Giles would just be… more drama. I think the Spike/Buffy/Angel/Karen bit is enough. No need to throw Giles in there. But hope you all liked this chappie! And it seems that Angel doesn't want to be with Karen… For now at least. Who knows? He may change his mind. I don't know! These guys write themselves! Lol. What do you guys think I should try for? But anywho, as always, review please! Next is the party!


	9. Rescue Mission

A/N: I've gotten a total of about three people altogether to say anything abut the Karen/Angel thing, and so I doubt I'm gunna go with it. VampMeg, I loved your ideas! I'm going to use the ones about Karen and the glamour spell. I hadn't really been sure what I was going to do on the Karen or Faith as Angel's date thing. I was probably just going to help no one noticed. Lol. So I really appreciate your input! It means bunches! Lol. And Sonia, I know what you mean about the Buffy/Angel thing. Very annoying. But she won't exactly be doing that. You'll have to read on to find out what I mean. And the blood thing, well… We'll get to that! Lol. Jane, I agree. They are kinda pushing her around, even without her there. But she's gunna grab the steering wheel and take charge soon, so don't worry! And Ladymiss, thanks SO much for pointing that out! Someone told me earlier, but I've never heard of it, and they didn't give me much besides the author's name, so I didn't know how to find it! I'm really sorry about that, but I had never read the story before. Though I have now, and I loved it! Teehee. But thanks a whole lot! I really appreciate it! It's just I love tigers, and was sick of the unoriginality in his nicknames for her. He calls everyone else those, too. And now, finally on to the story!

** Chapter 9: Rescue Mission**

Spike sighed. Buffy had avoided him ever since that night. She had gone back to how things had been when she first got there, and it drove him crazy. He tried to get her to talk, to go somewhere, to do anything, but she wouldn't even stay in the same room as him. He growled in frustration, unsure of what to do.

* * *

Buffy sighed. Spike had tried to get her to open up again ever since that night. He wanted things to stay how they had become. She didn't know what to do though. She couldn't even be in the same room as him anymore without wanting to rip his clothes off and take him right there. She looked in the mirror at her half-there reflection. She was wearing a low-cut emerald dress that had a slit up one side to just above her knees. There was only one strap going over her left shoulder, and her hair was pinned up, proudly displaying the bites Spike gave her. Most of the time, she wore it down, covering the bites. Her make-up was done lightly, and the only jewelry she was a simple necklace, an emerald stone on a silver necklace. Her shoes were strappy, black heels. With one final tug on a loose bit of hair, she turned and left the room. Spike was waiting for her, dressed up nicely in a tux. Buffy sucked in an un-needed breath out of desire. She wasn't sure she'd be able to get through this night without jumping him. And she didn't really think it was a bad thing still…It was then Spike noticed that her hair was up. She normally didn't do that. Maybe there was some hope for him after all…

Spike held out his arm to her, and she hooked hers with his before they left to go downstairs to the party.

* * *

The limo pulled up to the huge hotel Spike was holding the party at. Angel and Faith sat inside. Faith was slightly stronger than Karen, so she had been the one chosen to go as Angel's date. Willow had put a glamour spell on her to hide the slayer spell and make her appear as a vampire. Around the corner, Giles, Karen, and the Scoobies sat crammed into Oz's van, waiting for the signal that back-up was needed. Wesley was driving the limo, also waiting for the signal. Angel got out of the car, and then turned to help Faith get out as well. Angel was in a tux, and Faith had a black strapless dress on, along with black heels. Her make-up was done dark, like it always was. Turning to the doors, they walked to them, arms hooked together. Wesley pulled off to go to the back of the building, passing Giles and the others on the way.

When they reached the door, Angel handed the vamp there the stolen invitation. The vampire looked at it, then back at Angel and Faith, before nodding and stepping aside, allowing them to pass. He leered at Faith as she went by; she winked back. As they entered and began to look around, Angel leaned to whisper something to Faith.

"You're fitting in pretty well," he said.

"Yeah well, if I'm s'posed to be a vamp, may as well act like one, right?" she whispered back. Angel looked at her, and then shook his head.

"Come on. Let's find Buffy and get out of here."

The two began to walk around, looking for the blonde. Suddenly, the room quieted, and heads turned. Curious as to what was happening, Faith and Angel looked in the direction everyone else was looking towards. There, at the top of a small staircase leading to a raised area of the room, stood Spike, Buffy on his arm with her bites uncovered for everyone to see.

"'Lo, all," Spike greeted the room. "I'm Spike, as you know. And this…" he gestured to Buffy, "is Buffy, the greatest vampire slayer to ever live." Spike started to chuckle. "Or, to unlive," he smiled wickedly. She smiled back at him sweetly as he turned his smile to her. Staring into each others eyes, they slowly leaned to each other for a kiss.

Angel stared in shock. He couldn't believe what Spike made Buffy go through. He knew she would never do that, not even smile a him. It was just impossible…

Faith stared at the two. Suddenly, she wasn't so sure they should bother rescuing the ex-slayer. To Faith, it didn't really seem like she wanted to be rescued. ..

Spike looked into Buffy's eyes as their kiss ended. He smiled at her, a soft smile. Maybe there was more than just hope for him…

Buffy stared back at Spike. As of then, she no longer cared. She just wanted to be with Spike, and who was there to stop her anymore? Angel? He was gone. And she thought she might be falling for Spike...

* * *

It was about two hours later, and Buffy had been having a blast. She had finally just let go, and decided to just live the vampire high-life. She had talked to tons of vampires, been told stories of times they had killed great vampire hunters, or just had large, meaningless slaughters, and she no longer cared. After all, she wasn't really the slayer anymore! What was stopping her from just enjoying being what she was? She had never enjoyed being the slayer, but she had been given a second chance at life, and by Spike of all people! She glanced over at him. He was talking to a group of vamps, once again re-telling the story of when he turned her, but with flourishes to make him look greater, but not so many it made her look bad. She excused herself from her own gathering crowd and walked over to his side, smiling at him as she gave him a passionate kiss.

From a distance, Angel watched the couple and their every move. He knew that Buffy had to be under some kind of spell to make her act this way. There was no other explanation. And as soon as she was alone, Oz's simple, yet sure to be effective, plan would be put into action.

* * *

Another 2 hours had passed, and Buffy was finally alone. As the party was winding down she had gone into a bathroom to check on her make-up, wanting to let everyone's last image of her tonight be a good one. Faith and Angel snuck in after her soon after calling for Xander to come in as back-up.

As she looked into the mirror, Buffy saw a brunette girl come up behind her.

"You're not dead…" Buffy said curiously as she turned around to face the mysterious girl. She gasped. "Angel? But… But you're dead!"

Angel moved towards her. "Buffy… Whatever he did… you don't have to worry now. It's all going to be ok…"

"What? Angel, what are yo-" Buffy was cut off as a hand covered her mouth. She began to struggle and tried to scream. Out of habit, she was gasping, trying to take in the air her body still didn't always realize that she didn't need. Soon she passed out.

Xander let the chloroform soaked rag he held fall to the ground as he struggled to hold up Buffy. Angel took her into his arms, and Xander quietly climbed back out the small window in the bathroom, helping Faith out after him. Together the two pulled out Buffy's limp form as Angel held her up. Angel climbed out as well, then took Buffy back into his arms as everyone but Oz, Cordelia, and Karen got out of the van which Oz had pulled up by the bathroom window and into the limo. Faith grinned at Angel and climbed into the van as he and Xander got Buffy in the limo before getting in themselves. Then the two cars set off back to Sunnydale.

* * *

Everyone was gone now, and it had been about 15 minutes since Spike had last seen Buffy. He hadn't thought too much of it, but now that no one was there… He set off in search of her. He remembered her saying something about the bathroom, so he went there first. When he got there, he didn't like what he saw. Buffy small emerald purse was on the floor, its contents spilled. He saw a rag and bent over to pick it up. He gave it a sniff, and just as he thought, smelled chloroform on it. Someone had taken his slayer. As he was leaving, he noticed another smell… Someone familiar…

Spike's eyes widened as he ran out of the room.

* * *

Buffy awoke, fully refreshed. She decided to get up and open the curtains. Buffy had made it a habit recently to always shut the curtains in case Spike came in. Sitting up, she threw the covers off and got out of bed to open the curtains for a bit. Then she froze. Slowly, she turned in a circle, taking in her surroundings. She was standing in her old room at her mother's house back in Sunnydale. Then the last night came flooding back to her. She gasped, and ran out her bedroom door and down the stairs, now in pajamas someone must have changed her into rather than her dress from the party and her hair had been let down. The thought of someone doing that, even Willow or her mother, bothered her. She reached the kitchen and saw her mother, standing in the morning light. She froze in shock. Joyce looked up and gasped.

"Buffy! Oh, Buffy. I know Mr. Giles said you'd be fine now that you were home, but… it's just so good to have my baby back!" she went to Buffy and pulled her into a hug. Buffy stood still for a second, completely shocked at her mother's warm welcome, remembering the last words she had said to her, but then brought up her arms to return the hug as tears filled both the women's eyes. After the hug, Joyce pulled away to look her daughter in the face. Then she gasped.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! The windows!" Joyce rushed to close the blinds, but Buffy stopped her.

"Mom…" Buffy trailed off as she stepped into the light. Joyce looked at her in confusion.

"But… I thought…" she let the sentence hang. Buffy gave her a small smile.

"I'm different. 'Cause I was the slayer."

Slowly, Joyce nodded.

An uncomfortable silence descended on the room.

"Well, uh… Mr. Giles and your friends wanted to know if you could meet them at the library tonight. And, speaking of the library, you can go back to school when you're ready. The expulsion didn't take effect," Joyce told her daughter. Numbly, Buffy nodded.

"All right. I'm just… just gunna go and sleep some more…" she said slowly, before turning and slowly walking up the stairs back to her room. When she reached it, she shut the door behind her and looked around.

This wasn't her life anymore. Her family, her friends, her watcher, Angel, Sunnydale… It wasn't her life anymore. Spike and Los Angeles was her life. This? This was just memories. And secretly, a part of her wanted it to stay that way. But another part was glad to have her mother back. Glad to know that soon she could see Giles, Willow, Xander, and even Oz and Cordelia. And then she was glad Angel was back, really she was, but… she no longer wanted to be with him. And she knew that's what her friends would expect, since obviously he was Angel, not Angelus. Lying back on her bed, she curled up in a ball, hoping Spike would come to get her back.

* * *

Buffy entered the school building. It was about an hour after sunset. As she walked to the library, she ran into Angel in the hall. She shifted on her feet uncomfortably. Angel smiled at her as he moved closer.

"Buffy…" he started.

"Angel…" she said nervously, hoping he wouldn't come any closer. He seemed to have other ideas as he walked towards her.

"I know that what Spike did to you… It must have been absolutely horrible for you. But I'm here. I hope I can help you," Angel spoke softly. Buffy stared at him in shock, but he must have taken it to be some kind of effect from trauma or something.

"Any questions, just ask. After all, who better to help a vampire slayer turned vampire with a soul than another vampire with a soul?" he smiled encouragingly at her.

Buffy stared at him. A voice inside of her was screaming, "My sire!" but she quickly shut it up.

Angel's smile never wavered as he engulfed her in a hug. Buffy felt smothered, as though she couldn't breath. But then, she didn't need to. Some habits were just harder than others to get rid of. She awkwardly stood as he crushed her with his arms that now seemed so confining when a year ago they felt perfect.

"I've missed you so much…" he mumbled into her hair. Finally, the feeling of suffocation overwhelmed her, and she untangled herself from his grasp.

"I'm sorry you missed me. I… I missed you, too." Buffy thought how that had changed. Changed when she started to live with Spike. When she started to fall in love with Spike. Angel took her hand in his. His hand seemed to swallow hers, even though it should be right.

She looked up at him. Then she ripped her hand away and ran, leaving him slightly hurt and beyond confused.

Everything should be fine. Everything should be good. She was finally back in Sunnydale. With her friends and her mother, and Angel was back. There were two new slayers, and she no longer necessarily had to go out and fight the baddies anymore, even though they all most likely still expected her to. Angel seemed to still want a relationship. She could still go to school. Everything could be like it used to, with the slight addition of blood drinking and a lack of pulse. And best of all, she would never age. Everything should be almost perfect. So why did she feel like things couldn't get any more wrong? And why did she want nothing more than to be back in the hotel with Spike by her side?

* * *

Karen watched the scene in the hall take place. Angel giving Buffy a hug, Angel talking to Buffy, Angel comforting Buffy, Angel holding Buffy's hand. She turned away, crushed and just in time to miss Buffy run away. She had known he used to love her, but had hoped that he wouldn't go back to her. But it seemed that was what would happen, if it hadn't all ready. She sighed, moving away from the doors.

I guess it's really time to just… forget about it. It'll never happen. Not with her around… Karen held back her tears as she sat with the rest of the group while they waited for their beloved Buffy, Angel, and Faith.

A/N: More happened in this chapter than I thought. Lol. I think the next chapter or two may be it for this story. And I know, Buffy's change of mind on Spike may seem a bit rushed, but… that's just what came out when I wrote it, and if that's what she wanted to do, then that's what she wanted to do! Lol. As always, RR please!!


	10. Back at Home

A/N: Well first thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I think that's the most I've gotten for one chapter! Hehe. And **Jane**, Loved the idea of the vamping out so I used that. Thanks lots! **RavensHaelo**, yeah, the plan was kind of… meh. But it worked for them! Lol. I wanted them back in Sunnydale for this rather than LA is all, and this was the most entertaining way! Hehe. Everyone who mentioned the Faith/Buffy friendship.. you're genius!! Many cookies to you all! hehe. **Willowrose1616**, glad you like the story. I like the ones where she gets vamped too, which is why I just had to try writing one. If you decide to post yours let me know! I'd love to read it. **Buffy Summers**, on the whole "kill Karen/ new slayer" thing… It's tempting. But I dunno yet. We'll have to see! Lol. **Goldenangl99**, about Buffy realizing she's in love with Spike while he's gone… Well, it's something like that. ; ) And finally, yes, the Scoobies will get what's coming! Hehehe…

**Chapter 10: Back at Home**

Spike drummed his fingers against the steering wheel impatiently; the Ramones were blaring out of the speakers. He was in his Desoto, driving 90 miles an hour to Sunnydale. And was he ever pissed… Just one more hour. And then he'd get his sweet revenge…

* * *

Buffy wandered through the streets of Sunnydale. Her thoughts were so messed up and scattered. She hardly think. But the one thing she did know was that she should go back and face the firing squad… She shook her head.

Friends! Face my friends. Since when did they become the firing squad?

'Since they stole you from Spike…' a little voice in her head told her.

Knowing she couldn't truthfully deny it, Buffy turned and headed back to the library.

* * *

Angel walked into the library, still confused beyond belief. He just couldn't understand it. It was as if Buffy no longer wanted to be with him… And he knew that was impossible.

Karen glared at him, but he barely noticed, so lost was he in his thoughts of Buffy.

"Angel?" Giles asked, seeing the troubled vampire. But then… Angel was always troubled…

Angel raised his head to look at Giles. "Buffy ran off. I saw her outside… But... she ran away…" he seemed to become lost again.

"What? Deadboy, what'd you do to scare her away?" Xander demanded.

"Xander!" Willow objected. "Maybe we should go after her?" she suggested, trying to change the subject.

"Maybe," Giles agreed, partly because it was a good idea, and partly thankful for the change.

"Where are we supposed to look?" Cordelia asked.

As the group continued discussing how to find Buffy, and Wesley came out to join them, Karen sulked. Angel didn't even notice her! Why was Buffy **so** important to everyone around here, anyway? She wasn't even the slayer anymore! Sure, Karen wasn't the only one, but they even paid more attention to Faith than her! She was a slayer, too!

Just then, the double doors swung open, and Faith and Buffy walked through, laughing at something.

"Or… she could come back here," Willow said upon seeing the two girls enter, arm in arm.

"Hey," Faith said breathlessly to the group. Buffy giggled beside her. The others stared in awe.

"Err… Mind letting us in on the joke, Buffster?" Xander asked.

Buffy snickered again. "Well, I was just on my way back here, when I heard someone fighting in an alley so I went to check it out. Then I saw it was Faith, and I ran over to help."

"Well, B here, being such a fucking genius, vamped out when she ripped the thing off of me. So he was all shocked and said, 'Why are you helping her? She's the slayer!' And so B said…" Faith started laughing at this point.

"And I said, 'Because she may be the vampire slayer, but I'm the vamped slayer!' And the look on his face… It was just priceless!" The girls broke into fits of giggles again.

"Then, he looked about ready to piss his damn pants," Faith said. "He started trying to say something, but he was stuttering so bad, I just got bored and staked him!" The group stared at the two girls as they continued to laugh. Willow looked at Giles, then Oz, then Angel. Giles was confused. He had known his slayer would be different, but not like this… Oz took it in true Oz form. Angel looked pained. He couldn't understand how Buffy could be so casual bout her… living status. Xander just stared in shock, and Cordelia looked amused, like she found the joke slightly funny as well. Wesley was a bit appalled, but then he was starting to get used to this whole "hellmouth" deal, and everything that went with it. As for Willow… she decided it was time for a subject change again.

"Giles, why don't you tell Buffy what we found? And maybe we can find some way to check for sure if she…" Willow trailed off, not wanting to mention the soul thing if Buffy didn't have it.

Buffy looked at her friend then. "If you mean if I have a soul, Wills, then yeah. Still here. And no, I didn't go all psycho down there and kill anyone. Well, human anyone that is," she thought of the few minions that had annoyed her so bad she just had to dust them back in LA. The others all thought she meant that she kept up her slaying.

"Did… William the Bloody… know that? And let you slay?" Wesley asked. Buffy stared at him.

"Well… yes and no…" she started slowly. "He knew about the soul thing right away, but I didn't really go out patrolling. I mean, I'm not the slayer anymore really. So.. no more demon-hunting for me!" she said cheerfully.

"Aw. That coulda been a lot of fun, B. You and me out there kicking some major demon ass…" Faith said. Buffy grinned.

"Well, could still work it in I'll bet…" the two laughed again. The others were shocked that she didn't want to be the slayer anymore. It was her job! She still had her soul, so shouldn't she still do the slayer thing?

"Buffy… So… you don't want to be the slayer anymore?" Willow asked tentatively.

"Wills, I never wanted it in the first place. Spike gave me a great out. I mean, I needed to die. Not so good. But to get vamped? Hey, worked out just fine by me!" Faith laughed.

"Hey, was he hott?" she suddenly asked. Buffy turned to her, a look on her face.

"Well…" she trailed off.

"He was!" Faith exclaimed.

"I didn't say that!" Buffy objected.

"But you didn't say he wasn't either. So, you do him?" Faith waggled her eyebrows.

Buffy laughed, and under her breath so only Faith could hear her said, "Later." Then louder she said, "What do you really think?" Then she turned back to her friends.

"So, what's the what? You said you found something out…?" she trailed off.

Giles shook himself out of his shock. "Yes. Quite. Er, well, it seems that you're not the first slayer to have been turned, Buffy. One did before, and was tortured by the vampire that did it to her. Eventually, she went insane from his insistent attempts to get her back." Buffy stiffened.

"Buff? What's up?" Xander asked.

"I… I had a dream. A few nights ago. I ignored it because… well, I didn't think I was still going to get slayer dreams but… Giles, what was her name?"

"Anne. Anne Hathworth," Giles told her. Buffy stiffened even more.

"So it was real then… And you're wrong," she said as she finally moved to go over and sit at the table. Faith came to stand closer as well, as did Angel and a reluctant Karen.

"She wasn't tortured by him. It was his minions. And they beat the hell out of him, too. He wanted her to go to her watcher's, where she would be safe. Then they were going to run away together when it was safe. But her watcher thought she was under thrall every time she tried to leave with him. She went insane because her watcher wouldn't let her be with the man she loved…" As Buffy told her tale about what really happened to Anne, she thought of Spike. She knew Giles and her friends wouldn't let her be with him, but she had every intention of going back to LA and finding him if he didn't come for her soon. But she had a feeling that he was.

Suddenly she stood up. "Hey, Faith, how's about we go kick some of that demon ass now?" she asked, eager to get away from her friends, and especially Angel.

Faith grinned. "Lead the way," she said, and the two walked back out of the room, arms hooked together once again.

Everyone glanced around at each other. They couldn't believe what Buffy had just told them. So… maybe she wouldn't go insane since she didn't love Spike? They certainly hoped that would be the case…

* * *

Spike stormed through the high school's hallways, his duster billowing behind him. He could smell Buffy. She had been there. Half an hour ago at most, she had been walking through these same hallways. Following her smell was how he found the library in his furious state. Slamming the doors open, he walked in, glaring around the room searching for her.

"Spike!" Willow shrieked, hiding behind Oz slightly.

Angel growled. "What do you want, Spike?"

"What I want, Peaches, is Buffy!" Spike snarled. "Where the bloody hell is she?" he stomped over and stood nose to nose with the other vampire. Karen watched, ready to jump to Angel's aid. But then, he didn't care about her. Why should she care about him? She relaxed against the counter once again, where she had been most of the night so far.

"Not here," Angel replied.

"No, really?" Spike said sarcastically. "Where is she?" he ground out, leaning ever so slightly into Angel. Angel's eyes narrowed. Spike's flashed gold.

"I don't think that's any of your concern, since you killed her," Angel spat out. No one even saw Spike move. Once second he was frozen still, so much he almost looked like a marble statue in denim and leather, the next he was fully vamped out, holding Angel a good 6 inches off the ground by his throat.

"Where. Is. She," he repeated.

"She went patrolling," Karen said flippantly. Spike glanced at her over his shoulder. That was his one mistake.

Angel punched Spike in the nose, sending him reeling back as he dropped Angel back on the ground. Within seconds, Angel had him pinned to the floor.

"I got him. Let's go find Buffy," he said. The group nodded and began to get weapons before heading out into the night.

* * *

Faith and Buffy had split up not too long ago. Buffy mostly just wanted to clear her head and think while Faith was just itching for a fight. And it was because of Buffy's lack of concentration that she didn't see the pack of demons until they were upon her…

* * *

Faith arrived at the same time as the Scoobies, and she leapt into the fray to help out Buffy. Spike struggled to help as well, but Angel's grasp never faltered. Karen went to help as well while the rest of the group hung back anxiously. Angel wanted to help, but he knew he had to keep hold of Spike.

Buffy was knocked down, and when she tried to stand, she fell back to the ground in pain. It seemed like she hurt her ankle. No one but Spike seemed to notice. Just as no one but Spike seemed to see the rather large demon that had slipped out of the fight and was now sneaking up on Buffy…

Spike was seeing red. Angel may not be able to see the danger coming up on Buffy, but Spike could. He began struggling to get away from his grandsire's grip. Angel just held on tighter. Buffy looked over at Spike as he finally managed to break free of Angel's grasp and began to race over to her with a look of panic in his eyes. As he neared her, he launched himself into the air, and she watched as he soared over her head and tackled the demon that had been sneaking up behind her.

"Buffy!" Angel yelled as Spike wrestled with the demon. Two other demons then began to beat on Spike just as he killed the first one. Angel rushed over to try and help Buffy, but another demon blocked his path.

Angel managed to take out the demon just in time to see that one of the two demons Spike was left fighting was about to get to Buffy. Spike noticed the fact at the same time it seemed, because he grabbed the head of his current opponent and twisted it clear off. Roaring furiously, he pulled back the demon about to kill Buffy, who had fallen unconscious while he had been fighting, and ripped its throat out with his teeth. Before the body even hit the ground, he was kneeling at Buffy's side, collecting her into his arms and rocking her back and forth as he began to make soft, guttural sounds to comfort her. Buffy woke and clung to him, twining her arms around his neck, seemingly not even noticing the demon's blood still covering his mouth; she seemed as though her life depended on never letting him go as she snuggled into his embrace. Angel stared at the scene, as it played out before him in an open-mouthed shock. As the others finished fighting, they did the same.

"There's still a spell on her," Angel denied, shaking his head. "It just can't be…"

"Looks pretty real to me," Faith commented. "Sure did at the party, too." The other looked curious at her last statement, but they were prevented from asking anything by Buffy herself.

"Hello? Right here!" she said, turning to look at them. "And no spell. I just honestly care about Spike. And unless you really want me to go insane, I suggest you guys don't say a damn word. It's my life, and I'm choosing how to live it.

"Buffy… Whatever he's done… we can fix it," Angel took a step towards her, reaching out his hand. Buffy stared at it, then got up and walked to him. It seemed as though she would take his hand, but instead she punched him square in the nose.

"There. Is. No. Spell!!" she exclaimed as Angel fell to the ground.

"None whatsoever," she clarified, taking an angry step towards him. "Just my feelings for Spike, and his for me." Her friends looked on in wonder, except for Faith who was smirking. Karen had a look of disgust on her face. How could she not want Angel?

Buffy straightened, and then sighed. Suddenly, the pain in her ankle returned, now that the adrenaline from her anger was wearing off. She began to fall, but cool, strong arms slid around her and lifted her up, cradling her to their chest. Buffy wound her arms around Spike's neck and leaned her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly as she let her eyes drift shut and a small smile danced across her lips.

"Think I'll be takin' her back home now," Spike spoke before leaving the group in shock.

* * *

Spike shut the curtains firmly before stripping down to his black silk boxers and climbing into Buffy's bed. Buffy locked the door, hoping her mother wouldn't try and wake her up anyway the next morning before stripping down to her thong and bra and picking up Spike's t-shirt from the floor, slipping it over her head. Spike watched her in amusement as she put it on and crawled next to him into bed.

Spike turned to his side and pulled Buffy's back tight against his chest, happy to have her back in his arms again. He listened as her unnecessary breathing slowed, and eventually stopped. Figuring she was asleep, he let himself finally admit what he had been suspecting for a while now.

"I love you, tiger," he whispered, and then let his eyes fall shut as well.

After a brief pause, he heard her whisper, "I love you, too, Spike." Shocked at first, Spike's eyes sprung open. Then a wide, silly grin spread across his face before he shut his eyes again and fell asleep, just barely tightening his grip around his girl.

A/N: Soooo… what did everyone think?? I'm not exactly sure what I'm gunna do about Karen yet, or the Scoobies reactions. That should all be in the next chapter, which should be, tear, the last one to wrap the story up. But as always, RR!!! Any suggestions on the Karen situation is very much appreciated! And I hope you guys liked the rather fluffy ending of the chappie. Heh.


	11. Firing Squad

A/N: First I want to thank everyone who reviewed! I really love that you guys take the time to do that. Next, I am so incredibly sorry this chappie took so long everybody! Bad Wicked! And sorry it's so short, too. But school started and it's been a bitch between that and work. I'll try and get things more routine again, but I can't really say. **BA Shipper**, sorry you don't like the Spuffiness, but it's what I do. And on the whole sunlight thing, I may incorporate part of that in the next chapter or so. And I promise, Buffy will **never** call Faith "F". That's just so retarded. **Sorrow1**, on why the demons went after her is explained, and how they took her out so easily… We'll just say there was a LOT and well, I hope it gets explained. If not just tell me, and I'll try to better explain it next chappie.

In case anyone's forgotten what went on last chappie… Faith and Buffy started to become friends again, whilst the rest of the gang, minus Karen, worries over Buffy being back and acting so strangely. Buffy doesn't want to be the slayer anymore, and she told them the true story of the other slayer-turned-vamp. Spike roared into town, and they all went to the cemetery to find Faith and Buffy. A pack of demons attacked, but everything was fixed, and Spike and Buffy left together.

**Chapter 11: Firing Squad**

The next morning, Buffy awoke to find strong arms wrapped around her. She smiled as she snuggled into Spike's chest, sighing softly. His grip around her tightened slightly.

"Morning, love," Spike whispered into her ear. She grinned.

"Hey, yourself," she replied.

Suddenly, a knock on the door shocked the two of them so bad that Buffy shot straight up, accidentally hitting Spike in the nose in her shock.

"Bloody hell, tiger!" Spike said.

"Buffy?" Joyce's voice came through the door, albeit slightly muffled. "What was that?"

"Uh, nothing mom!" Buffy quickly tried to cover, panic edging her voice. The doorknob jiggled as Joyce tried to turn it.

"Honey? Why's the door locked?"

"Uhh… I forgot about it last night!" Buffy said, finally having found a pair of pants and securing Spike in the closet. She went over and opened the door. Joyce gave her an odd look, but then shook her head.

"You kids," she said. "I was wondering when you'd feel ready to go back to school? You just need to take some tests checking what classes you can be in, and you'll be fine," Joyce said. Buffy stared dumbly.

"School? But… why?" Over her months as a vampire, Buffy had gotten used to the fact that Spike had ways to pay for everything and anything she desired. Now it was Joyce's turn to stare dumbly.

"Well, so you can have an education and get a job. Since you're not the slayer anymore really…" she trailed off.

Buffy shook her head. "Mom, it's cool. No more school for Buffy is a-ok. Buffy has sire with the money," she grinned. Joyce look confused.

"Sire?" she repeated slowly. Buffy's eyes widened as she realized just what she had gotten herself into. As she opened her mouth to try and backtrack somehow, there was a crash from her closet. Joyce looked over curiously.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Nothing!" Buffy jumped in front of her mother as she tried to move to the closet. "Probably just uh… just the wind!"

"In your closet?" Joyce looked skeptical. She managed to get around Buffy and open the closet.

Spike stood there, still in just his boxers. He gave a hesitant half-smile and little wave.

"'Lo, Joyce," he said. Joyce stared in horror, then promptly fainted.

* * *

"So, let me see if I understand this…" Joyce said. "Spike… made you?" she looked at Buffy.

"Into a vampire. Yes," Buffy told her mother.

"And now… you're together."

"Right."

"But he doesn't have a soul like you? And he's still good?"

"Exactly."

"So… he's a good vampire? Who turned you into a vampire. And who is now your… boyfriend?"

"Perfect," Buffy nodded. Joyce looked at her, still looking a bit confused. Then she shook her head.

"Oh, I'll never be able to keep up with all this."

Buffy patted her knee apologetically. "I'm sorry, mom. But now I should probably go to the library and face the firing squad… Or the gang, really. You coming, Spike?" she looked up at her lover.

With a sigh, he nodded. "Sure, tiger."

The pair had spent all day trying to explain things to Buffy's mother, and now the sun was just going down. They got ready and went out to Spike's car, which they drove to the school in. As Buffy and Spike pulled into the parking lot, the Scoobies were talking about them.

"I can't believe it. It's just… not right," Willow said.

"It's more than not right, It's… It's sacrilegious!" Xander sputtered.

"Surprised you even know a word that big," Cordelia said.

Giles interrupted the couple's upcoming argument. "I believe Angel may be right about it being some kind of spell. She seemed fine until he got here."

Wesley nodded in agreement. Angel grinned, happy someone else thought the same as he did. Karen glared in disgust.

"I dunno. At that party, hell, even last night, things between those two looked way too hot to be a spell. I think it's all real," Faith said. Almost everyone stared at her, shocked.

"I agree," Oz spoke up. "Really now, Buffy's not the slayer anymore. She's a vampire. The same rules that applied before don't now. There's a completely different set."

Everyone thought over what he said. Xander and Angel normally would have immediately objected, but the group knew that when Oz spoke, it was something big and at least deserved some thought.

As the group sat or stood in silent thought, Buffy and Spike walked in, or more accurately, Buffy dragged in Spike.

"Uhh… Freaky silence is kinda wiggin' me out here guys," Buffy said with a weak smile.

The group looked up with mixed reactions to the pair's arrival. Xander, Angel, and Giles all glared at Spike. Willow and Wesley looked terrified of him, whilst Cordelia looked slightly scared as well. Karen glared at Buffy. Oz seemed indifferent to it all. Faith, however, went over to them.

"Hey, B. You know, your vamp here is a pretty good lookin' piece of meat," she eyed Spike.

Buffy's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. And my vampire is just that. **Mine**," she said. Faith laughed.

"All yours. I like to keep saying 'live and kicking' more than just kicking," she said. Buffy grinned.

"I dunno. I kinda like just the kicking. Well, maybe not really the kicking exactly…" she winked, and the two burst into laughter; Spike smirked, letting out a chuckle as well. The others stared on in complete shock.

So, patrolling?" Faith asked. Buffy shook her head.

"Think I'll cut it after those huge things last night. By the way, Giles, what were they?" Giles stared at her as she stared at him, then it registered that she had asked him a question.

"Ahh…" he began to clean his glasses. "I believe they were G'hauralyk demons. They eat people, and sometimes vampires. That's most likely why they attacked you. They're very powerful, especially in packs such as last night." Buffy nodded.

"Well, I'll see ya, then. I'm outie," Faith told the blonde couple before walking out.

The rest of the group stood around awkwardly. Finally, Buffy sighed.

"All right, let's just get to this. Guys, I know you don't approve of me being with Spike," Xander interrupted with a short laugh. Buffy glared at him.

"But," she continued, "it's my choice. And nothing you say is going to change it. It's not a spell, it's not some weird sire/childe thing. It's just that I want to be with Spike. And if any of you have a problem with that, then I don't need you. Because I do need him." Everyone stared at her in silence, various reactions on their faces. Karen seemed like she would jump for joy, Spike was in awe, and everyone else was just either indifferent, or still not buying it.

"Buffy…" Angel started tentatively. "Whatever this is, whatever you think this is… It's not. You have to know that, somewhere inside you." Buffy sighed.

"God! Do you people just not give up?" she exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air. "C'mon, Spike. We need to find a new place to live. I don't really think it'll be the best of ideas to live with my mom." She grabbed his wrist, and the two left everyone else to their own thoughts.

As they reached the parking lot, Spike asked, "So you want to stay in Sunnyhell then, tiger?"

Buffy shrugged. "Yeah. By mom at least. And maybe if the gang stops being so wigged by all of this… And Faith seems kinda cool…" She let her thoughts trail off. "I don't know. But I think at least for now. Is that all right?" she asked, looked up at him.

Spike smiled at her. "Course, love. But we'll start looking for a place tomorrow. Right now, you look like you could just use some sleep. So, your mum's place for tonight at least?"

She nodded, and they settled into the car. She slid over next to him and he put his arm around her as she snuggled into him.

A/N: Well, what do you guys think? This is actually going to be taking longer than I thought, not that you all mind I think. Lol. But anywho, Sorry to anyone who wanted Buffy to get back with Angel or something, but… I'm a stern, non-wavering Spuffy fan. Next chapter, some of the gang, besides Faith, will start to accept Buffy and Spike's relationship. Well, at least 2 or 3 will. I'll try and make that chappie faster than this one, but no promises. And in reference to some other reviews, I did want the whole telling Joyce thing to be more entertaining, but it didn't quite come out so funny. Maybe more later. I have plans… mwahaha… Poor Joyce… But anywho, Then I'm still just not really sure what to do with Karen. Let her be with Angel, not now obviously because he's hurt about Buffy, but later… Or just have her leave, or let her stay but not be with him… I mean, her original purpose of being there had been to get with Angel and distract him from Buffy and make him let go of her easier. But now I just really don't like her. She's so whiney. Brat. Lol. So if anyone has advice on that, it'd be much appreciated. **Iluvglorfindel**, I do like the psycho idea. Lol. And **ms trick**, nope, definitely not a Mary Sue! lol


	12. Home, Sweet Home

A/N: So sorry this one took so long. I'm kinda getting stumped on where to go. I may wrap this up soon if the lack of ideas keeps. But another chapter of this up. Short, but here. I'm sad cuz I didn't get too many reviews last chappie. But I still have this one for anyone who's reading! Just if you are, pretty please review for me? They make me feel all special-like.

Summary of last chapter: Joyce happened upon finding Spike and Buffy together, and everything was explained to her before the pair left for the library. The gang still believes it's a spell, except for a few. Buffy and Spike left, with Buffy making a decision they would soon be finding a new place to live.

**Chapter 12: Home, Sweet Home**

Buffy enthusiastically went from room to room, unable to contain her excitement. It was three days since she and Spike had gone to the library and now they were looking at houses. This one seemed perfect. It was everything Buffy had ever dreamed of. She grinned. Yup, no more hotel home for her! She had a real house again, one with the man she loved.

Spike had seen how much she obviously loved the house, and how much happier she was just being back in Sunnydale, though even she may not realize it. For these reasons he was talking over the condition of the house and such with the realtor while Buffy rushed around looking at rooms.

She stepped out onto the balcony of the master bedroom, which she loved, and gasped. She raced back inside and down the staircase out to the backyard. It was like an island paradise. Greenery was everywhere. There was a pool in the ground that looked more natural than a pond in the woods. She began to walk around, and went up a few steps to find a Jacuzzi hidden in a small alcove. The waters in the pool and the Jacuzzi were as clear as possible.

Spike slipped his arms around her waist from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.

"You like?"

"I love."

"Good. 'Cause it's ours," he kissed her neck. Buffy turned around in his arms.

"Ours?" she asked, disbelieving they could have such a house.

"Ours," Spike nodded. Buffy squealed and jumped on Spike, hugging him tightly as he spun her in a little circle, laughing and glad that she was so happy.

* * *

It was a few days later when Buffy came down the staircase to see Spike sprawled across the couch watching TV in her mother's living room. They had decided to stay with Joyce for a short while longer whilst finalizing buying the house and moving in. She smiled as she walked over to him. 

"Hey," she greeted, leaning over and giving him a kiss.

"Hey yourself." He tried to pull her onto the couch with him, but she danced out of his reach. Spike pouted, and she giggled.

"I'm going shopping with Faith. I'll be back later." She gave him another, quick kiss before leaving the house. Faith was just walking to the door.

"Holy shit!" she yelled as she saw Buffy in the sunlight. "But I thought you were a vamp, B?! I coulda sworn--"

Buffy cut her off. "I am. Just… special," she grinned.

Faith stared at her, then slowly started to grin as well.

"So this is why it was all right for us to go shopping now. Well then B, let's go."

* * *

Buffy and Faith came through the font door six hours later, almost 7 o'clock, laughing and with armloads of shopping bags. Buffy had used Spike's money to pay for everything the girls bought. 

"Did you see that guy's face?" Faith said between laughter.

"Well, if he's gunna be suck a prick, then I'm gunna vamp out on him," Buffy grinned. "Being a vampire does have its advantages you know." She laughed some more.

They collapsed together onto the couch, their bags scattered all over the room. Just then, Spike came out of the kitchen.

"You stayin' for dinner, Faith?" he asked. She sat up straight.

"Is that what smells so good?" Spike nodded. "Well, if you're offering… I don't mind taking!" She and Buffy jumped up from the couch and followed Spike into the kitchen. Joyce was all ready at the table as Spike began serving food, all ready having set a place for Faith earlier.

"You cook?" Faith asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah. You learn a lot in a hundred plus years. Not like we sleep all day, so need somethin' to do," Spike shrugged.

"How come I never knew you cooked?" Buffy pouted.

"You never asked," Spike threw over his shoulder. Buffy stared at his back for a moment, then huffed and took her seat, as did Faith. Spike and Joyce exchanged a look, smiling at Buffy's actions.

* * *

"Ahhh!!!!" Buffy screamed as she ran from Spike. 

"I'll get you, slayer!" he yelled after her. Buffy stumbled in her hurry to escape, and Spike managed to catch up before tackling her and pinning her to the ground.

"Now… you'll give it to me, or die."

Buffy stared at him defiantly. "Never!" She struggled to get from under him.

"Tiger! Give me back the bloody remote," Spike growled.

Buffy just stared back.

"Don't make me, pet…" he said warningly.

Buffy looked up at him in horror. "You wouldn't…" she started shaking her head. "No!" she shouted as Spike began tickling her.

Spike and Buffy had settled into their new place a few days ago and just finished unpacking that morning. They were both loving having their own home. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, stopping their activities.

"I'll get you later, tiger…" Spike warned, getting up to answer the door. Buffy giggled as she got up and followed behind him.

When Spike pulled open the door, Buffy was standing on her toes to see over his arm. When she saw who it was, she lightly shoved him out of the way and stood in front of Willow.

"Hi, Willow," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hey, Buffy. We just… I just… It's been a few weeks since anyone's seen you, and we were worried…"

"I've seen Faith almost every day," Buffy said casually.

"What?" Willow stared in disbelief.

"Yeah. We've been hanging a lot."

"She never said anything…"

"Did you ask?"

"Well, no… But Buffy, what about us? Your friends?"

"So Faith can't be my friend?" Buffy shot.

"That's not what I meant!" Willow struggled to correct herself. "I meant-"

Spike sighed and interrupted. "Red, why don't you come on in, and we can all talk about this in the living room?"

Buffy sighed as well, moving aside to let Willow enter. Willow looked tentative, but went in nonetheless. Spike shut and locked the door before leading the way to the living room. The girls took seats before Spike left the room. He came back in a few minutes with three mugs of hot cocoa. While he was gone, Willow had been taking in the place. It really was very nice. And the décor was gorgeous.

Once Spike had settled himself in a spot beside Buffy, he started talking.

"Now you," he pointed at Willow, "have no real right to be coming to our home and demanding Buffy tell you and your little gang everything she does. She's made it clear what she wants." Willow looked confused and appalled at the same time. Buffy had a smirk on her face. "And you," now he pointed at Buffy, "know you miss your other friends. True, they're being right pillocks, but you can't convince them any other than they think now if you won't talk to them." By now, both girls were shame-faced. They looked up and across at each other.

"I'll leave you two alone," Spike got up from his seat, taking his mug and going upstairs.

* * *

"…and their place is amazing! It's so gorgeous and you should see the backyard! Oh wow, it's just… Oh goddess," Willow gushed about her meeting with Buffy to the others. 

"So, she really is ok?" Xander asked. "She didn't look beaten or something?"

"No! She's fine! And guys, I think we were wrong. It really doesn't seem like a spell. Actually, Spike made her talk to me! And he makes some really good hot cocoa."

Xander, Giles, and Angel looked at her oddly.

"So is she actually going to come talk to us sometime?" Cordelia said.

"Actually, she wanted us all to come over this weekend. Have a Scooby party. And she wanted to meet Karen. Apparently she all ready knows Faith, and they've been hanging out a lot since she didn't judge them," Willow explained.

The others looked sheepish.

"Well, I'm glad. Hopefully the party will be… nice," Giles said while all of them thought of the other, not so well-liked thought of having to spend the time with none other than Spike as well.

* * *

The next day, Willow was visiting Buffy again. When she got there after school, Faith was just leaving. 

"Oh, hey," she said as she came out the door. Willow smiled back.

"Hi," she responded.

"Was just on my way to see the watcher guys. More training with Wes," Faith said. Lately, Faith had been deciding that since they were willing to work on her, she was going to work on them. More specifically Wesley. Ever since coming to Sunnydale, the man had been loosening up little by little, but Faith was trying to help the process along. So far it seemed to be working. He had given up protesting to her blaring rock music during training sessions and her calling him "Wes", which Xander had picked up on right away and Willow was catching it as well now. He also didn't seem to keen on running to the council with everything any longer. Soon enough, they just may have another watcher gone bad on their hands.

Faith turned before she shut the door.

"Hey, guys! Wills is here!" Then she turned back to Willow and walked past.

"See ya," she waved over her shoulder. Just then, Buffy opened the door more completely. Upon seeing Willow she smiled.

"Hey, Wills! Come on in. So what brings you here?"

Willow walked in, shrugging as she did so.

"Just thought I'd drop by and say hi. If that's ok…" she seemed a bit unsure.

"No! It's fine! I mean, I like Faith just fine and all, but I miss having more friends!" she laughed. Willow grinned at her.

"So, you don't sleep all day then?"

"Nope. Spike doesn't either. We sleep till about one or two, three if we're sleeping late. Hard to sleep that long," Buffy grinned.

"So… Where is Spike?" Willow looked around, only slightly nervous to her credit.

"He'd been down in the gym we set up in the basement for about an hour now. Probably gunna be there a little while longer then go take a shower upstairs. You hungry? We've got plenty to eat." Buffy led her friend to the kitchen.

"You still keep food? Not just, um, blood?" Willow was trying her hardest to act like everything was normal, but it was a bit off-kilter from what she had anticipated when they went down to LA to "rescue" Buffy, seems she hadn't needed any rescuing at all though.

"Oh yeah. We keep tons around. Spike and I love it. Seems like we've always got some of those spicy chicken wing things and onions around. Not sure why he has the onions though. Whenever I see him get them out, he just kinda stares at them for a while then growls all frustrated-y and puts them back. And wheatabix. I didn't believe him at first, but it is pretty good in the blood. And of course we've got other food. We keep a pretty much fully stocked kitchen. My choice though. If I left it to him, all we'd ever have was beer, buffalo wings, onions, wheatabix, and hot chocolate." She shook her head. Willow grinned at her babbling.

"Well, help yourself!" Buffy spread her arms. Willow nodded ad started scrounging through the fridge.

Once the girls had both settled with a couple of sandwiches and chips, they began to talk.

"I've got this huge test coming up in math," Willow said. I've been studying all week when I've had the chances."

"Yeah. That's one great perk of having Spike around. With all that money, I'll never need to learn another thing!" the girls both laughed. Just then, Spike, clad in some black sweatpants and his regular black t-shirt, came through the door in the kitchen, bare feet padding silently across the tiles..

"Talking about me, love?" he asked with a smirk, before reaching down and kissing her on the head, stealing a chip as well.

"Hey! That's mine, mister!" Buffy said. Spike popped it in his mouth and just laughed at her.

"I'm gunna go upstairs and clean up, tiger. I'll be back down later."

"Ok," she said, watching him retreat. Willow had been a bit uneasy when she first saw him, but then upon seeing the way they acted together and the obvious care he had for her, she relaxed a bit.

"So he really does care about you, huh?" she asked when he had disappeared from sight.

"He loves me," Buffy said, tone letting Willow know it was something not to be argued with. "And I love him," she said in that same tone. Willow stared at her, not sure what to do at first, then remembered the way he seemed to care about her so much, just from those few short seconds of interaction she had witnessed.

"As long as you're happy," she nodded.

"I've never been happier," Buffy stated flatly, defensively, still expecting some kind of argument.

"Good," Willow said and took another bite of her sandwich. Buffy, slightly dazed, got a confused look on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped and closed it, a smile spreading across her lips

A/N: Well, there's another Scooby, the first original Scooby, to accept the relationship. Now we just have to get the others to come around and figure out what to do with Karen! Lol. RR please!


	13. Party Time

A/N: First, a HUGE, HUGE thanks to everyone who's reviewed! Well, it's long past time I updated this story. I think I may wrap it up soon because of the delay I've put it on, but with recent new ideas as an option rather than ending it, I may get back into working on it again. I never really had any intention of the story going much further than a basic Scooby acceptance of the Spuffiness to begin with, so I'll just get that and everyone settled and be done. This story was sitting on the sidelines frustrating me for too long though, so I'm working on it and going to getting it back into a progressing stage so I can be done with it soon hopefully! Much as I do love it, being my first Buffy fic I started to work on, my style of thinking has changed since then so, eh. Lol. Well, here's the greatly prolonged 13th chapter, whatever I do after this.

**

* * *

Chapter 13: Party Time**

Buffy and Spike sat in the Jacuzzi, Buffy between his legs as she leaned back against his chest. It was late Thursday night, technically early Friday morning. Willow had long since gone, about three or four hours ago, after much catching up and girl time with Buffy, a dinner Spike cooked that blew Willow's mind, and watching a movie with the couple. Buffy had decided to go to the library the next day, but hadn't told Willow. Buffy was slightly dreading it because she knew Angel, Xander, and Giles would all most likely be there.

"Maybe I shouldn't go…" Buffy said, slipping a little further into the water.

"Tiger, you really should. Make sure all your mates feel welcome Saturday, not just Red and the other slayer," Spike told her.

Buffy sighed. "I know, just… I don't want to deal with more of their disapproval."

"But you have to sometime," Spike said as he pulled her closer to him, dropping a kiss on the side of her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder.

Buffy stared off into space, just taking the comfort Spike offered and preparing for the next day.

With a shake of her head, she decided for a change of topic.

"Spike, I know lately you haven't been, but… Back in LA, what I said about the blood, I really meant it," she turned her head to look at him, her eyes pleading.

Spike stared into her eyes. He couldn't refuse his love what she was asking. With a sigh, he gave in.

"Alright, tiger. An eternity without that anymore is going to be hard, but long as you're here…" Spike nuzzled his face to her neck. His blunt teeth nipped at her skin, And Buffy smiled in pleasure.

Well, least it'll be worth it," she said. Spike grinned.

It most definitely will be, he thought as he stared appreciatively down her body at all the curves he'd come to know so well lately.

His face shifted, and he gently sunk his fangs into her neck, Buffy sighing as he did so. He withdrew his teeth, and she turned to face him with eyes full of lust and blood trickling down her skin. With no more words, she bit into his neck as well, and they found other ways to spend the remains of the night.

* * *

The next evening, Xander and Cordelia were sitting at the table in the library, bickering as usual. Rock music could be heard from the stacks, signaling Faith training with Wesley. Willow and Giles were at the table with Xander and Cordelia, looking through a few books while Oz, Angel, and Karen were making stakes. 

Buffy waltzed through the doors, seeing her friends doing their every day things.

"Hey, guys," she said, signaling her arrival which even Angel hadn't noticed. The group looked up collectively, with varying looks on each of their faces.

Willow grinned. "Gotten even sneakier as a vamp, huh? Didn't even hear the door."

"Well, y'know," Buffy shrugged. "Walk through walls now too." Giles eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Kidding, Giles," she assured her ex-watcher with a smile.

"Hey, Buffster. **Boyfriend** not kill you yet?" Xander spat the word "boyfriend."

Buffy glared. "No, Xand."

"Ow!" Xander yelped. Everyone looked at him confused, except for Willow, who glared across the table at him, hoping her kick would shut him up for at least a little while.

"Sorry. Hit my, uh, knee. On the table," Xander said as he stared at Willow. Buffy grinned, easily seeing her friend's defense for her.

Suddenly, the music turned off, and Faith came out of the stacks, Wesley following her.

"Hey, B! What are you doing here?" Faith asked.

Buffy shrugged. "Just figured I'd stop by to chat. See if you guys were all gunna be coming tomorrow."

"Of course, Buffy!" Willow said. Oz gave a slight smile, signaling his agreement with his girlfriend.

"Yeah, I want to see this house Willow keeps saying is so fantastic for myself," Cordelia put in.

Xander looked disgusted, but nodded. "I'll be there, Buff. We all will,"

"Quite," Giles agreed. "But I don't believe you've been properly introduced to Wesley or Karen."

"Who?" Buffy asked, then she laughed. "Ok, obviously I haven't."

"That's Wesley," Giles gestured in Wesley and Faith's direction. "He had taken over watcher duties for Faith and Karen since I was fired," Giles said casually, everyone having gotten used to it by now and still referring to Giles as though he were the only watcher around, even Wesley on occasion would do this. But to Buffy, Giles being fired was news.

"What!" she exclaimed. "They fired you? Those bastards! I'll rip their heads off!" The group looked slightly alarmed at Buffy's threat.

"Ah… yes, well…" Giles stuttered. "Ah, and, and this is Karen," he gestured to Karen now, hoping to distract Buffy's attention. "She's the other new slayer. According to the timeline each of the girls have given us we believe Faith was called after Kendra's death, and Karen was called after, ah…" Giles trailed off, realizing what he'd been saying and about to say.

"After my death?" Buffy asked. "So Faith replaced Kendra, and you replaced me?" she directed the question at Karen.

"Only slayer-wise of course, Buffster," Xander hurried to say.

Buffy looked at him oddly. "What? You guys don't like her?" She turned to Karen. "You're not like, the total stick-up-the-ass type are you?" Just as Karen was about to reply, Buffy noticed the time.

"Oh crap! I have to get home; mom's coming over for dinner. You're still coming too, right Faith?" Buffy turned to the brunette.

"Course! Free food's always great by me. Especially Spike's free food," Faith grinned. "Got yourself a damn good cook outta your cushy package, B." Buffy grinned back.

"Spike can cook? You're letting him? He's going to poison you all!" Xander said in alarm.

Buffy just laughed. "It's not like this is the first time mom's come over, and Spike cooked. And he did when Wills came over last night, too."

"What! Will, you ate something that, that **thing** cooked?" Xander demanded.

"Hey!" Buffy protested. "That **thing** happens to be my boyfriend!" Angel cringed when Buffy said that, but remained silent.

"Xander," Willow began to try calming down her friend before he said anything to **really** piss Buffy off.

"Oh, don't bother," Cordelia cut Willow off. "He still bitches about Angel, and we all know he's good! He won't ever shut up on Spike."

The group sat in silence, most glad to have avoided the entire thing, or at least best they could. Buffy stood, too angry to say anything, and Xander's brain tried to catch up.

"I have to go," Buffy said. "You're all still coming tomorrow, right?" Buffy looked around the room. At seeing no protests, she nodded her head.

"Good. I'll see you guys tomorrow then." She turned and began to walk out.

"Hey, B! I'm still coming with," Faith said, catching up to the furious slayer-vampire.

The rest of the group just sat or stood around in silence, still trying to grasp what exactly had just happened.

* * *

The next day, Buffy was just finishing getting the house ready for the party. Spike had done most of the food and was currently out back barbequing. Just then, the doorbell rang. Buffy took one last glance around before going to answer the door. 

She opened the door to see the faces of a smiling Willow and a laid-back Oz.

"Hey, guys. Come on in," she stepped aside so her friends could enter. Just then, Giles, Wesley, and Faith appeared. The group moved to sit in the living room, and Buffy went to get them drinks. Almost as soon as she was done with that, the doorbell rang once again.

She answered the door to a chipper Cordelia and a very sullen-faced Xander. She smiled.

"Hey, we're not the first ones here, are we? Or the last?" Cordelia checked. Buffy shook her head.

"Still waiting for Angel and Karen, but everyone else is here." Buffy let them by into the house.

Cordelia looked around appreciatively as she and Xander found seats amongst the others. Buffy left and soon reappeared with drinks for them as well.

"It's nice," Cordelia commented. "I like the décor, too. Especially that painting," she referred to a large painting of a scene in Greece.

"Thanks," Buffy said. "Actually, that's one of the ones Spike picked from mom's gallery. Really he's the one who did all the decorating and stuff. It wouldn't look near as nice if I had done it."

She then noticed Xander eyeing the tray of snacks on the coffee table and rolled her eyes at him as she took her own seat.

"They're not poisoned, Xand," she said.

"Yeah, Spike's an amazing cook," Willow said before popping a pig in a blanket into her mouth.

Once Xander recovered from the shock and realized Willow was still among the living, he cautiously took one for himself and ate it. The group was all trying not to laugh; even Giles had to suppress a chuckle. A shocked expression appeared on Xander's face as he ate.

"Good?" Faith asked with a grin.

Xander scowled. "It's… ok," he conceded grudgingly.

That was the exact moment that Spike chose to walk through the door.

"Hey, love," he said as he dropped a kiss atop Buffy's head. "'Lo all," he greeted the rest of the group.

"How's dinner coming?" Faith asked. "Can't just starve a hungry slayer," she grinned.

"It should be ready soon," Spike said, then noticed the lack of his grandsire.

""Where's the poof?" he asked. Buffy shook her head at Spike's choice of a name for Angel, but didn't comment.

"Not here yet. Neither is Karen, the other slayer," she told him. Right as the words finished coming out of her mouth, the doorbell rang for the third time that night.

"I'll get it, tiger. Gotta be at least one of them," Spike went to go answer the door. He returned with both Karen and Angel following behind him.

"Hey, take a sit down," Buffy said. "You guys want anything to drink?" she asked as she stood up. Angel shook his head no, but Karen took up the offer, thanking Buffy.

"I'm gunna go check on the food," Spike said before disappearing out the back door once again as Buffy came back with Karen's drink.

"Thanks," Karen thanked Buffy once again as she accepted the drink.

"No problem," Buffy said.

The group sat chatting animatedly in even smaller groups, someone perhaps switching conversations every now and then, until Spike came back in and announced that dinner was ready. They all got up and followed him outside to see a large table set under a canopy. The entire setup looked very elegant and pretty.

"Wow, even out here looks really nice. I'm truly impressed," Cordelia said. "Did you do this, too, Spike?" she looked at the vamp as she found a place to sit. Everyone else began to sit as well, and Buffy came out with a couple other dishes from the kitchen, setting them on the table and returning to get the rest.

"Actually, this was mostly Buffy. I let her take over everything but the food for tonight. Bloody good thing 'bout the food though, or you'd all be having take-out after watching the good stuff burn," he chuckled.

"Hey!" Buffy protested as she came back out, laying even more food on the table and for once glad of her short time as a waitress in LA. "I'm not that bad of a cook." At Spike's look, she giggled. "Ok, so maybe I am." The pair found their own seats and everyone began passing out food and eating, continuing their small talk.

Angel had been surprised when Buffy brought out a separate glass for him filled with blood. He supposed he shouldn't have been too surprised since they were obviously vampires and had their own, but he still forgot Buffy was and would like to forget Spike all together.

As everyone ate, there were various forms of approval to Spike for his cooking.

"Spike, you seriously cooked this?' Cordelia asked.

Spike nodded.

"Well, I'd have never imagined a vampire would know how to cook human food so well," Wesley appraised Spike. Spike smirked in his direction.

"Never would have imagined a watcher to compliment a vampire on their cooking," he said in return.

"Yes, quite," Wesley said with a grin. Over time he really was becoming one of the group.

The rest of dinner went relatively smoothly and everyone moved into the living room once again.

"Hey, Spike," Willow spoke up from her perch on Oz's lap.

"Yeah, Red?" Spike looked at her over Buffy who was sitting on him with her legs over one side of the chair they were on.

"Well, Buffy told me something the other day, and I was kinda wondering about it," Willow smiled. Spike quirked a brow at her, waiting for her to go on.

"Just why **do** you keep those onions around?" she giggled. Spike growled. Everyone else had quieted and was anticipating Spike's answer.

"Bloody women," Spike muttered under his breath. "'S those damn onion things at the Bronze. They're bloody brilliant, but I've got no idea how they do it," Spike ranted. The girls all broke into laughter, while Giles, Wesley, and Oz chuckled. Even Xander had to smile at the vampire. They all had to admit: he could be pretty normal seeming at times. Angel however, just glared at his grandchilde. He didn't like seeing Buffy and Spike together, but after tonight he had been forced to realize that she truly did like Spike, and she was happy with him. Angel sighed. Maybe it was time for him to let go.

Karen watched Angel from where she was sitting next to him.

"You ok?" she asked him as everyone returned to various conversations.

Angel took his gaze from Buffy and Spike to give Karen a smile. "I guess. It hurts to seem them together is all. I've had time to mourn her death, and then I had time to wish for things when I found out she wasn't exactly gone, but I suppose this is best. I can't give her what she wants, what she needs. I'll never be able to," Angel gave another longing look at Buffy.

Karen was confused. "Why not?"

"The curse," he said, looking at her once again.

"What?" she asked him, oblivious to the details of his curse.

"When I experience one moment of true happiness, I lose my soul. That's what happened last time. I lost my soul because Buffy and I…" he let the statement hang, his implication obvious.

"Oh. Oh!" Karen repeated, her eyes widening. She was looking at him in a whole new light now. It was almost like he was forbidden to ever be with anyone, and while that made him sexier in a way, it also made a lot of badness. She knew if he lost his soul that would be far from ok. She didn't know anymore what to think about her crush on him.

Soon, the watchers were leaving together.

"Tonight was wonderful, Buffy," Giles smiled at her as he stood. He was still wary of Spike, but it seemed he was to be trusted now, and as Oz had said, different rules applied for Buffy now since she was a vampire and no longer the slayer.

"Yes, everything was extremely pleasant," Wesley nodded in agreement as he rose as well. Buffy smiled, at the pair, getting up to show them out.

"I'm really glad you came, Giles. And it was nice getting to know you, Wesley," she said to them. Giles smiled at her again.

"It's just nice to have you back," he told her. She grinned.

"Truthfully, it's pretty nice to be back. I missed you guys," she gave him a hug. Giles hugged her tightly in return.

"Maybe I'll drop by the library sometime next week," Buffy said as she drew back. Giles nodded.

"That would be nice," he said. The watchers and former slayer said their final good-byes before the men left.

"Well, I'm itching for a good fight to finish my night," Faith said, getting out of her seat. "What about you?" she directed the question at Karen. Karen was a bit shocked, since Faith never really liked to patrol with anyone lately, but she smiled.

"Sure," she nodded and she and Faith started walking to the door where Buffy was waiting. Angel stood to follow the pair.

"I'll join you," he said.

"See ya, Spike. Later, B," Faith said as she swept out of the house.

"Nice actually talking to you," Karen said to Buffy as she followed Faith out. Angel and Buffy stood awkwardly.

"So it's real? He makes you happy?" Angel asked in one last attempt before he gave up on his dream of being with Buffy.

She nodded. "He really does," she smiled at Spike, who she could see sitting in the living room still. She faced Angel again.

"I'm sorry it hurts you," she said. He shook his head.

"I'll be ok," he said, giving her one more smile before slipping out into the night with the slayers. Maybe he would make that his new path: helping the current slayers rather than loving the old one.

Buffy returned to the living room where Spike, Willow, Oz, Cordelia, and Xander sat talking.

"Buffy, you and Spike should come to the Bronze next Friday. Oz's band is playing," Willow grinned happily. Buffy smiled back.

"Sounds fun," she nodded her head as she settled back onto Spike's lap.

"You play or sing?" Spike look over at Oz.

"Guitar," Oz responded.

Spike nodded in appreciation. "Play some myself." Buffy raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"We should jam sometime," Oz said. Spike nodded and that seemed to conclude the male guitar bonding as Spike moved on to telling Cordelia about another painting she had noticed. Willow and Buffy looked at each other but just shrugged with a smile. Buffy was just glad that Spike was getting along with her friends. Well, most of them. She looked over at Xander, who sat guardedly watching Spike as he talked with Cordelia. She shook her head, unsure if Xander would ever come to terms with Spike.

"We should go," Willow said as she and Oz stood up. Everyone else stood as well.

"Us, too," Xander agreed as he took Cordelia's hand in his.

Spike and Buffy saw the four to the door.

"Be careful walking home," Buffy said to her friends. They all nodded, bidding farewells as they walked outside. Shutting the door for the final time that night, Buffy heaved a sigh.

"Man, that was… something," she wrinkled her nose as she tried to find the right word.

"Long?" Spike suggested. Buffy looked at him and then shrugged.

"It works," she said flippantly as she headed outside to begin cleaning everything up. Spike, however, had other ideas as he grabbed he around the waist.

"Everything will still be there in the morning, tiger," he growled into her skin. "For now, let's enjoy finally being alone," he said as he swept her up into his arms. Buffy giggled as he carried her up the stairs to their room.

* * *

A/N: So… Now that I'm actually working on this story again… lol. I don't think it's going to end quite yet, but I'm not sure if the next chapter or so will be the end. I'm thinking I'll just take as many as it needs to get the characters all settled where I want them, which I know what I want to do with everyone but Karen! Lol. She's still a pest, but now at least I've set it up so there's a way she can leave Angel alone! Lol. The next chappy is in progress and hopefully will be completed soon, but in the meantime, leave me many happy reviews! It encourages me muches. 


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